Packers struggling run defense v. Rams struggling run game: Who wins?

Like clockwork, the Green Bay Packers’ run defense has again been a major problem this season. This week, however, they’ll be up against a Rams rushing offense that has been incredibly unproductive this season. So which struggling unit comes out on top this Monday?

The Green Bay defense is allowing five yards per rush this season, the third-most in the NFL. They also rank dead last in run defense by DVOA. Joe Barry’s scheme, which often utilizes lightboxes and prioritizes taking away the big passing plays first, doesn’t always do the run defense many favors, but it’s not as if the players have performed well either.

The front seven has very much struggled with Kenny Clark not making the same impact this season, and in general, the defensive line not being able to get off their blocks–not to mention that there have been a lot of missed tackles. The Green Bay edge rushers also don’t set the edge with any regularity, Quay Walker has taken his lumps as a run defender, and overall, just poor run fits from this defense as a whole.

"“One, you got to be able to tackle,” said defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery on Thursday. “There are opportunities we’ve had where we’ve missed tackles for losses, and explosive runs happen. So that’s one element. The other element is when a guy makes a mistake, normally, there is someone there to make up for it, but that hasn’t happened a lot of the times. Ultimately we have to be better at doing our job at a high level, and we’ve got to be able to tackle in space. Obviously, we’ve worked on those things, we got to go out and execute, and like anything, run defense, and run fits are like a puzzle, and if you’re missing a piece of that puzzle because a mistake was made, it trickles downhill.”"

Now 13 games into the season, we are past the point of expecting any sort of drastic turnaround from this run defense unit — or the defense in general — they just are who they are, but this group does have the opportunity this week to hopefully put together one of their better performances against a poor Rams rushing offense.

In part, the Rams have struggled to get the run game going because of numerous injuries along the offensive line. This past game against Las Vegas was the first time all season that Los Angeles had the same starting five in back-to-back games. The results have been as expected, with the Rams averaging just 3.7 yards per rush and their rushing offense ranking 26th in DVOA. In fact, at this point in the season, no Rams running back has eclipsed 65 rushing yards in a single game.

If Green Bay can contain this Rams run game like many previous opponents have, it’s going to create more third and long situations along with obvious passing downs for Baker Mayfield, who will be making just his second appearance with Los Angeles, and a depleted Rams receiving corps. This, of course, will be to the advantage of the Packers secondary by Los Angeles being in more predictable situations.

On the flip side, I’m sure the Rams are thinking that if they can get the run game going, it’ll help open up opportunities in the passing game and also allow them to control the clock, keeping Aaron Rodgers on the sidelines. The winner of this matchup will likely play a key role in determining the outcome of this game.

So what happens when one of the league’s worst rushing offenses meets one of the worst rushing defenses? Well, I’m not exactly sure, so I guess we will find out Monday.