ESPN La Crosse 105.5

Tough test ahead for Josh Jacobs, run-centric Packers’ offense

Paul Bretl | 12/27/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Led by Josh Jacobs, the run games has been a catalyst for the Packers’ success on offense over the last month-plus. However, this Sunday in Minnesota, it could be tough sledding for the Green Bay rushing attack.

The Vikings’ defense will enter Week 17 surrendering just 3.9 yards per rush, tied for the second-lowest average in football this season. By ESPN’s run-stop rate metric, Minnesota ranks fourth, and in expected points contributed, the Vikings’ run defense ranks second.

Individually, the Vikings have three defensive linemen who rank in the top 50 out of over 200 eligible edge rushers and defensive tackles in the total number of run stops.

Defensive coordinator Brian Flores’ willingness to blitz often helps to create some of those negative plays in the run game. But in addition to that, similarly to the pressure looks that the Vikings will give you, there is a lot of movement and disguising within the front seven that creates additional challenges for an offensive line.

“They have a lot of guys in the box and they kinda play from the front end to the back end as far as like they’ll still be in 2-high but they’ll have guys down at the line of scrimmage and then they’ll bail out, but in the run game they’ll be down there,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenvich of the run defense.

“They do a good job moving up front. There’s a lot of movements that create advantageous looks for them or open guys and then the pressure, they bring guys from every direction so they can create a lot of negative plays if you’re mistargeted or if you don’t see a guy blitzing and you’re not ready for it.”

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For a Packers offense that struggled in the red zone and on third downs through the first half of the season, Jacobs and the run game has provided stability in those key facets of the game since the bye week as Matt LaFleur has leaned more heavily into that run game element.

Jacobs is currently fourth in the NFL in rush attempts this season and fourth in rushing yards. His ability to make defenders miss has made him one of the more elusive backs in football, which in turn, has led to him also being one of the best at generating big plays with the fifth-most rushes of 10-plus yards.

That ability to regularly move the ball on the ground does wonders for the rest of the offense. For starters, it keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and out of those pesky predictable long down-and-distance situations. Then when operating from those second and third-and-short situations, it opens up the entire playbook for Matt LaFleur, and opportunities in the passing game to be exploited with the defense having to defend the entire field and be ready for just about anything.

“That opens up just a lot of things that we can get to,” said Tucker Kraft of Jacobs and the run game. “We can get to play pass, and we got shots off the runs that we have. So just opens the playbook up even more. And we don’t even have to get to those plays. We just still rely on our backs.”

Particularly in the few games leading up to the most recent contest against New Orleans, we saw the Packers lean heavily on their gap blocking scheme, with Jacobs often being tasked with running between the tackles. While the offense found initial success doing that, with each passing week, opposing defenses seemed to respond more quickly and make the proper adjustments to slow Jacobs down.

Examples of this include the Detroit and Seattle games, where early success on the ground was met by some very tough sledding in the second halves of those games. This then had the opposite effect of what was described above with the offense more often operating from long down-and-distances and in obvious passing situations, where now the defense has the upper hand.

“There’s a few factors,” said Stenavich of the Packers’ second half struggles, “I think last game (vs. Seattle), it was just a matter of getting drives going. But yeah, that’s something we’ve got to make sure when we go out there we are still locked in, we don’t have those negative plays, and we’re doing a great job communicating. There’s a few busts, but that’s a focus thing we’ve just got to make sure we’re focused for four quarters, for sure.”

However, against the Saints, we saw the Green Bay offense showcase the versatility of their running game. Not only did nine different players carry the ball in that game, but we saw a heavier usage of outside zone rushing concepts, with the ball carriers getting outside the tackle box.

Putting those outside zone runs on film a week ago, could be something that also pays dividends this week against Minnesota. For starters, getting the receivers involved in the run game adds another wrinkle to the equation that defenders have to be mindful of.

These outside runs also serve as a reminder to defenses that while, yes, the Packers do want to run the ball, opponents have to be ready for both gap and outside zone blocking schemes. This is just another layer of unpredictability that’s then added to the Packers’ offense, with the defense having to be prepared for both running styles and forcing them to defend the entire field, helping to create space and potential running lanes to exploit.

“We wanted to run a little bit outside zone tonight and we did,” said Sean Rhyan after the Saints game. “That’s kind of our base, core O-line thing is we’re an outside zone team and we’ve been going to a little bit gap scheme these past few weeks. Tonight was really good because it let’s teams know that we still got outside. You can’t let those edges get soft now. It was real good.”

While it won’t come easy against this Vikings’ front seven, finding a way to lean on the run game, at least to some degree, will be important for the Packers’ offense, and accomplishing that could start and end with Green Bay’s ability to keep the Minnesota defense off-balanced, rushing both inside and out.

If that doesn’t happen, the alternative is becoming pass-heavy and one-dimensional, which plays right into the hands of this aggressive, blitz-heavy Minnesota defense.

‘Big challenge’ ahead for Jordan Love, Packers’ OL vs pressure-packed Vikings’ defense

Paul Bretl | 12/27/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Awaiting the Packers’ offense this week is a rematch with the Minnesota Vikings and their blitz-heavy defense.

The Vikings will enter Week 17 with the highest blitz rate in football, sending pressure on nearly 38% of their defensive snaps. But what can make this Vikings defense so devastating is that it’s not only that they are sending additional players after the quarterback, but it’s how they go about doing it through disguises and a willingness to blitz any player from any part of the field.

A product of that aggressive approach is a defense that has generated the fifth-highest-pressure rate this season, along with the fifth-most sacks as well.

“It’s definitely a big challenge,” said Jordan Love of facing the Vikings defense. “They do a lot of really good stuff on defense. They throw a lot of different looks at you, a lot of different personnel and a lot of different pressures. They make it hard for offenses, make you kinda have to study everything and be prepared for whatever they might throw at you.”

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Handling those pressures, or attempting to, begins pre-snap with the offensive line. It starts with center Josh Myers communicating blocking assignments and protections to the rest of the unit based on how the Vikings’ defense is aligned. From there, Love will have the autonomy to make protection adjustments based on any late movement from the defense.

Then, once the ball is snapped and as the Vikings’ throw different looks and players at the Packers’ offensive line, it’s about each individual offensive lineman operating within the scope of what their specific responsibilities are on a given play and knowing that the lineman next to them will do the same, creating a cohesiveness as defenders are passed off or as the protection needs to slide right or left.

Where offensive line units get in trouble is when players overextend themselves and attempt to do too much. Adding to the complexity of it all is the noise that US Bank Stadium generates from the crowd, putting an emphasis on being deliberate and loud with that pre-snap communication, along with making sure the linemen catch some portion of Love’s cadence to get off the ball quickly.

“They do it on all downs,” said Josh Myers of the Vikings’ willingness to blitz. “Typically you hear teams say they blitz a lot it’s a lot of third down blitzes. First through fourth, they’re blitzing a lot. So it’ll just have to be handling that, communicating, and handling the environment, just communicating, and passing all of it off.”

While how the Vikings send pressure and the frequency of it differs from other defenses around the NFL, Love and the Green Bay offensive line is accustomed to seeing blitzes this season. According to Pro Football Focus, Love has been blitzed at the fifth-highest rate this season. But in terms of pressure, Love has been under duress on 21% of his dropbacks, the 12th lowest rate in the NFL this season.

“I think there’s been situations where we’ve done a really nice job with it,” said Matt LaFleur on handling the blitze, “and there’s been some instances like the first time we played these guys where we had an all-out look and didn’t get the right protection and then threw one up and they picked it off.

“So, I think there’s been moments where we’ve done a really nice job with it. I would say over the course of two years there’s been more good than bad but there has been some moments where we did not handle it up to the standard that we would like to handle it.”

Along with the offensive line play, contributing to the Packers’ ability to handle the blitz this season, particularly since the bye week, has been Love’s ability to avoid negative plays. This is going to be one stark difference between where Love and the Packers’ offense is at now, compared to the first time these teams met in Week 4.

“I can’t say enough about Jordan’s ability to avoid the negative play and making those drastic moves in the pocket and getting the ball out for positive plays,” said LaFleur. “I don’t think people understand–I think it’s overlooked. Just the value of what he’s able to do in getting the ball out of his hands and not taking sacks.”

That game was Love’s first since suffering a knee injury in Week 1 against Philadelphia. Not only against Minnesota but throughout the first half of the season while also dealing with a groin injury, Love’s mobility was hampered to varying degrees. This impacted the play-calling with the Packers going under center less often, which also meant less play-action, along with effecting Love’s ability to navigate the pocket and avoid pressure.

“Definitely it played a factor because it changes the way that we call our plays and things we want to do,” said Josh Jacobs of Love’s injury in Week 4. “Because he was limited, we didn’t want him to move around, running and things like that. We were trying to call quick things to get the ball out. At the end of the day, it’s no excuses. You gotta play through injuries and do certain things and that’s on both sides of the field.”

However, since the bye week, Love’s overall decision-making has improved, specifically knowing when to push the ball downfield and when to take what’s available, along with him being much healthier during this second half of the season as well, resulting in increased mobility, and he’s greatly improved against the blitz.

From Weeks 1-9 when under pressure, Love was completing just 59% of his throws at 6.4 yards per attempt with four touchdowns and five interceptions. But since Week 11, Love’s completion rate versus the blitz has sky-rocketed to 72%–the third-best mark during that span–while he’s averaging 9.9 yards per attempt with five touchdowns to no interceptions.

“As of late, I think he’s done a really good job making decisions,” said Adam Stenavich of Love’s play against the blitz. “He’s done a really good job creating time in the pocket, getting out of trouble and finding some plays down the field. So I think that’s probably attributed to anything is just his ability to move around and make some plays.”

Success in the run game and staying ahead of the sticks can help mitigate a team’s pass rush and take some of the bite away from their pressure packages. However, this is a Vikings’ defense allowing just 3.9 yards per rush this season, the second-lowest mark in football.

The beautiful thing about football is that behind any success or failure is that there are numerous elements at play driving that result. But with that said, how the Love and the offensive line handles the Vikings’ litany of pressures will go a long way in determining the outcome of Sunday’s game in Minnesota.

“Just at the level at which they are going out there and causing problems,” said LaFleur on the Vikings’ defense. “I mean you see it all the time, whether it’s getting sacks on the quarterback, getting hits on the quarterback, getting pressures, forcing the quarterbacks to make bad decisions.

“I’ve mentioned the takeaways already and they can do it out of a variety of different personnels and they could be out there in one personnel grouping and line up five different ways. It just, it’s the interchangeable pieces and the versatility of those pieces to go play many different positions, where it’s complex, it can be complex for us but it’s easy for them.”

Surging Rashan Gary leading Packers’ improved pass rush since the bye week

Paul Bretl | 12/26/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers’ pass rush has really begun to pick up steam in recent weeks, and leading the charge for the defensive front is the play of Rashan Gary.

Through the first half of the season, the Packers’ struggled to generate steady pressure on the quarterback with their four man front, and frequently, any pressures that were drummed up were created by defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley through blitzes or simulated pressures.

In total sacks and ESPN’s pass rush win rate, the Packers ranked in the bottom third of the NFL in both categories coming out of their bye week. That inconsistent play doesn’t fall on the shoulders of only one player–it’s everyone. However, from a production standpoint, the results for Gary weren’t there during that initial stretch of the season.

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Over the Packers’ first nine games of the season, Gary generated 20 pressures, ranking 38th among all defensive ends in that category. When winning his pass rush reps, Gary was converting a high number of those opportunities into pressures, but the consistency wasn’t there as he ranked 76th among defensive ends in win rate. In terms of his overall pass rush efficiency, Gary ranked 79th, meaning the number of pressures and sacks being generated given the amount of snaps being played weren’t aligning.

However, since Week 11, Green Bay’s first game out of the bye week, the pendulum has begun to swing in the other direction for Gary. After creating 20 pressures in the first nine games of the season, he’s already generated 22 over the last six games, which is tied for the 11th-most during that span. In that same pass-rush win rate metric, Gary ranks 11th and he’s tied for 10th in pass rush productivity.

“He just looks more comfortable and I think a lot of guys do because he’s playing faster and he’s thinking less,” said Hafley about Gary’s play. “And I think Rebs (Jason Rebrovich) and V.O. (Vince Oghobaase) and Wendel (Davis) are doing a good job of getting him in those positions where he can succeed. I think we have a better grasp of who he is and what he can do well, and I think he has a comfort level right now in what he’s doing. And he has played better and he’s gotten a lot of pressure.”

In the Packers’ most recent game against the New Orleans Saints, there were back-to-back pass rush reps from Gary that illustrate just how well he’s playing. Rushing from the defense’s left side, Gary used his power to drive the offensive tackle back into the quarterback’s lap. Then, on the very next play, with the offensive tackle bracing for power, Gary used his speed to warp around the tackle and again disrupted the timing and flow of the offensive play.

Even more impressive is that Gary is producing at his current level while still being one of the more higher chipped defensive ends this year, according to PFF.

Behind any success or failure in football, there are always a number of contributing elements. As Hafley mentioned, the coaches are doing a better job of putting Gary in positions to find success.

In addition to that, the situation and game plan needs to be taken into account as well. Early on in the season there were several games where the Packers’ defense faced mobile quarterbacks, which required a more controlled pass rush approach, where the emphasis for the pass rush was on control and keeping the quarterback in the pocket, rather than pinning their ears back.

There is also something to be said for consistency at the pass rush position. Even if the production doesn’t show up on paper right away, consistently winning your reps will eventually lead to it–as Gary’s recent numbers showcase. And collectively, as a defensive unit, with each passing week, there is added comfort in the new Jeff Hafley defense, resulting in fast, physical, and confident play, not only from Gary but the defense as a whole.

“I think we’re in a good spot,” said Jeff Hafley of the defense. “I do. I think where we’re at right now is our guys understand what we’re doing and they’re playing really fast and they’re playing really hard and they’re starting to make a lot of plays. And you can see it. Whether I sit up in the booth, or whether I put on the tape, they’re playing fast and they’re physical and they’re playing hard.

“So what that tells me is, they know what they’re doing. So therefore I think we’re in a good spot. And I give the coaches credit and I give the players credit for getting to that point. Because you could feel it. Like, if you turn on Week 1 to now, it’s a totally different speed and confidence.”

Pressures and sacks are always going to be what garners the most attention when discussing defensive ends, but defending the run is obviously a very important element as well. During that same six-game stretch, Gary has the sixth-most run stops of any defensive end in football and ranks third in run-stop rate as well.

Collectively, the Packers run defense has improved drastically in Year 1 under Hafley, entering Week 17 ranked fifth in yards per rush allowed, and as of late, includes some very impressive performances against several dynamic ball carriers.

“I think he’s done an outstanding job,” said Matt LaFleur of Rashan Gary in the run game. “I think that’s one of the areas that I would tell you that is most improved, and I think it’s gotten better as the season’s progressed, just our ability to come off the ball, set edges, get multiple hats at the football. I think all the guys have been doing an outstanding job.”

There’s a high level of selflessness that comes with a defensive end being an impactful and willing run defender–run stops are not what gets that position paid or recognized regularly among their peers. That play-style and mentality from Gary then carries over to the pass rush, where beyond his own production, Gary’s presence and willingness to take on double teams or set picks helps others to produce.

“He’s playing the run game better too, and that’s the sign of an unselfish player,” added Hafley. “He’s using his hands, he’s setting edges, he’s getting off blocks, he’s running to the ball. I mean even in practice today, and I keep going back to that but it’s fresh on my mind, there’s great examples of him just doing great things in the run game and then he had a great pick today in practice, which again, you’re picking for somebody to come around and its unselfish then all of sudden you’re the one to pop free. So there’s complete buy in right now which is awesome to see. And it’s a credit to him.”

I certainly do not think that it’s a coincidence that as Gary’s production has begun to take off, the Packers’ pass rush unit as a whole has begun to flourish as well. In recent weeks, we’ve seen New Orleans’ quarterback Spencer Rattler be under pressure on 52.6% of his dropbacks–the third-highest rate in Week 16. The week prior, Seattle quarterbacks Sam Howell and Geno Smith each ranked top 10 in Week 15 pressure rate, while in Week 13, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa ranked sixth in dropbacks under pressure, and San Francisco’s Brandon Allen ranked 12th the week before.

“I do,” said Hafley when asked if the pass rush has found something as of late. “And it has to be. I think that we’ve created depth because we’re playing a lot of guys and I think towards the end of the game when teams have had to throw the ball we’re fresh and we look fast out there. And I think they’re getting better and if we’re gonna make a run at this thing we’re gonna have to be.”

The ceiling for this Packers’ defense is going to be determined by how effective and steady the Packers’ four man rush is. When a defensive front is able to get home regularly, every other position on the field benefits. Sacks lead to long down-and-distance situations, while pressure disrupts the timing and rhythm of the play, resulting in less time in coverage for the secondary and potential mistakes to capitalize on.

Accomplishing this on a consistent basis, particularly against the NFL’s best who the Packers will be up against in the playoffs, requires Gary to continue operating at a high level.

‘Doesn’t surprise me:’ Packers DE Brenton Cox capitalizing on increased opportunities

Paul Bretl | 12/26/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — When the Packers traded Preston Smith prior to their bye in Week 10, it opened up more playing time for second-year defensive end Brenton Cox–an opportunity that he has fully capitalized on.

“It’s been great,” said Cox of his increased role. “Just trying to stay active, stay on my grind and keep making plays.”

Since Week 11, Cox’s first appearance of the season, he has gone from being a healthy scratch on gamedays to averaging about 22 snaps per game, which includes playing a career-high 26 this past Sunday against New Orleans. Production-wise during that span, Cox has totaled 13 pressures, five of which came against the Saints, and four sacks, according to PFF’s metrics.

In terms of pure pressures, Cox’s numbers aren’t going to stand out compared to the rest of the NFL’s top defensive ends, in part because of his playing time. However, by PFF’s pass rush win rate metric, Cox ranks 15th among defensive ends from Weeks 11-16. By pass rush productivity, which measures how often a pass rusher records a pressure relative to the number of pass rush snaps they’ve had and is more heavily weighted towards sacks, Cox ranks fifth.

“I kept telling him all season long,” said Matt LaFleur, “we’re going to get you up, it’s just a matter of time, you’ve gotta keep working, and he’s stayed with that mindset and continues to work every day and giving us great looks, whether he’s going, when he was on the look squad or he was getting minimal reps in practice. He was always doing a great job.”

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Cox is a good athlete but often wins with power and the use of strong, violent hands to get the offensive tackle out of position. Rewinding to training camp, I can still hear the pop of Cox’s hands hitting the tackle’s shoulder pads, knocking him back on his heels, and making his way to the quarterback.

To the outside world, we are currently seeing the emergence of Cox take place. But inside the building, particularly within the defensive end room, the Packers have been seeing the ability that Cox has on display on the practice field for a year and a half now.

“We’ve been seeing that this whole year,” said JJ Enagbare. “The world’s just starting to I guess see who he is, what type of player he is. I played with him the last two years here, that’s pretty much nothing new that he’s been doing out there on the Sundays. (It’s) what he’s been doing every day throughout the week. He’s just been getting the opportunity this year.”

As an undrafted rookie in 2023 out of Florida, Cox’s ability to get after the quarterback earned him a roster spot last season. As the fifth-man in the edge rusher rotation, his playing time was limited, appearing in only three games defensively, totaling five snaps.

As is the case with any young player, development is needed. And like many NFL players entering their sophomore season, Cox benefits from having a full offseason to work on his craft rather than training for the NFL combine and doing interviews. There is also the added comfortability that comes from the experience gained over the last year and knowing what it takes to be a professional day in and day out.

“Doesn’t surprise me,” said defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich about Cox’s play. “Last year when he came here, I have a big heart for Brenton. He’s a young man that’s worked his rear-end off and I think that the kid has done an outstanding job physically and mentally.”

Jeff Hafley’s defensive scheme should also suit Cox’s skill set quite well. Under Joe Barry, the defensive front was asked to read and then react. With Hafley, this is an attacking front, as defensive line coach Jason Rebrovich put it. The goal is for the defenders to get north and south and into the backfield as quickly as possible. Or, in short, go get the quarterback.

“You just gotta prioritize what you working on that day,” said Cox. “Me, for instance, I’m pretty focused on trying to get knock back and make plays and get off blocks. But the sacks and the pressures all that’s going to come when you’re playing hard.”

Given the lack of consistent production from the pass rush, specifically the front four, during the first half of the season, in the moment, trading away Smith felt like an unnecessary move for a team with Super Bowl aspirations. However, we would learn after the fact that, as is often the case, there were additional factors in play. One is that Smith requested a trade, not wanting to play in a 4-3 scheme and on the field, we could see his playing time each week being reduced.

But in addition to that, the Packers had a good idea of what they had in Cox and wanted to find a way to get him on the field.

“He was a guy that it’s challenging when you have six D-ends, and certainly that’s a premium position that you just don’t want to get rid of people,” said LaFleur of Cox. “We’ve stayed relatively healthy, so it’s hard to get all those guys in the rotation. When we traded P to Pittsburgh, it opened up an opportunity to Cox.”

Coming out of the bye week, the Packers’ pass rush has continued to pick up steam each week. New Orleans’ quarterback Spencer Rattler was under pressure on 52.6% of his dropbacks–the third-highest rate in Week 16. The week prior, Seattle quarterbacks Sam Howell and Geno Smith each ranked top 10 in Week 15 pressure rate, while in Week 13, Miami’s Tua Tagovailoa ranked sixth in dropbacks under pressure, and San Francisco’s Brandon Allen ranked 12th the week before.

Comfort in Hafley’s scheme and defenders more steadily winning their one-on-one matchups have contributed to this recent success in the trenches, but so has the Green Bay offense. By jumping out to a number of quick multi-score leads, that forces the opposing offense out of their gameplan as they become pass-heavy and a bit one-dimensional, allowing the pass rush to pin its ears back.

“It’s been great,” said Kenny Clark of the pass rush after the New Orleans game. “We’ve been doing a great job of stopping the run and getting the guys in drop-back situations. Offense is doing a great job scoring points, and we’re able to rush after that.”

Zayne Anderson, Packers’ defense showcase depth vs Saints but much bigger test incoming

Paul Bretl | 12/24/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — An injury to Evan Williams late in the week resulted in Zayne Anderson making his first ever start on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints, and it’s a role that he will have to continue to fill through the final two weeks of the regular season.

Williams was not on the Packers’ injury report the first two days of the week leading up to the matchup with New Orleans. However, Williams popped up on the Saturday injury report with a quad, an injury that, as Matt LaFleur described, happened on the first play of practice that day and could keep him sidelined for a period of time.

“There’s concern,” said LaFleur of Wiliams’ injury after the win over New Orleans. “I would think that he’s going to be out a period of time. Nothing like long-term. Just one of those deals. It’s unfortunate I think it happened on the first play of practice. He just pulled up.

“I know he’s bummed, because it’s the second time it’s happened to him. But he’ll persevere, and we’ll hopefully get him back, hopefully in time for the playoffs.”

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Although Monday night was Anderson’s first start of his NFL career on defense, it wasn’t the first time that the Packers had turned to him this season. During Green Bay’s Week 14 matchup with Detroit, Williams exited with a concussion.

Rather than moving Javon Bullard from the nickel to safety in the middle of that game, the Packers wanted to maintain as much continuity on the back end as possible and instead called upon Anderson to lineup next to McKinney. Anderson would make three total tackles in that game, including a third down stop at the line of scrimmage on Lions’ running back David Montgomery.

Coming into this season, Anderson, a core special teams player, had just 21 career defensive snaps with that playing time coming in mop-up duty. However, while Anderson may still be a relatively inexperienced player in terms of playing time on defense, his preparation on a day-to-day basis and attention to detail in the meeting rooms and on the practice field had him prepared to step into a much larger role.

“It’s just focus,” said Xavier McKinney about Anderson. “It’s in the meeting rooms. We sit next to each other. Me and Zayne sit next to each other, so we steady bouncing ideas off of each other, bouncing ideas just around the room and just trying to get the communication 100% clear just within the room.

“But just the focus man, how he prepares in meetings, how he goes out there and practices, how intentional he is about making sure he’s in the right spots and I think that’s really the biggest thing, always being in communication with myself or just everybody in the room.”

Anderson would play 47 defensive snaps against the Saints, often filling the deep safety role as McKinney roamed the defensive backfield as he does. Anderson was in on two tackles, forced a pass breakup on the one target that came his way in the passing game, and also came away with his first NFL interception.

“They ran a wiley, is what we call it, and they sell it with a backside screen,” said Anderson of the interception. “So I saw the screen and I was in the down safety, we practice this a lot, our offense does it against us. As soon as I saw the screen, bailed out, usually the wiley comes late and so bailed out, saw it, the ball was in the air and just made a play.”

Making Anderson’s performance even more impressive was that he had very little time to prepare for this start. With Williams’ injury occurring so late in the week, he took the bulk of the starting reps in practice. This again is a testament to how Anderson prepares.

“He’s done an outstanding job,” LaFleur said of Anderson. “That was big-time for him. That happened on Saturday. So, Evan had been taking the majority of the reps all weeklong, and it just shows his ability to go in there and perform at a high level, make some key plays.

“It was cool to see after our Sunday walk-through, I’m walking through our CRIC area and X has all the guys out there and they’re going through some things, because we had Omar up, as well. But it was cool to see.”

It wasn’t only Williams who the Packers were without in this game, but also sidelined were Jaire Alexander, Javon Bullard, and Quay Walker. Having to rely on their reserves, which included Keisean Nixon lining up in the slot, along with Carrington Valentine, Eric Stokes and Corey Ballentine on the boundary, as well as Eric Wilson taking over the Mike linebacker responsibilities, the Green Bay defense put together a dominant performance against an, albeit, shorthanded Saints’ offense.

In each phase defensively, the Packers controlled the game. The defense pitched the first shutout of the season in the NFL. Rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler threw an interception, totaled just 153 passing yards, and averaged only 5.1 yards per attempt, while facing constant pressure from the Packers’ defensive front.

According to PFF’s metrics, Rattler was under duress on nearly 53% of his dropbacks–the third-highest rate among quarterbacks in Week 16. The Green Bay run defense would also hold the New Orleans backs to just 3.4 yards per rush.

“We can do whatever we want to do,” said Kenny Clark. “We write our own story at the end of the day. We’ve just got to keep on building. Each and every week, we’re just trying to get better and be able to play our best football into the postseason. So we’ve got, what, two more games left, we’ve got to keep stacking these wins.”

Now, a much bigger challenge awaits this Packers team and the defense with a matchup on the road against Minnesota looming. Led by a passing attack that features Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison, the Vikings’ offense is averaging the ninth-most points per game this season.

We will see what the week holds once the Packers return to the practice field, but from the sounds of it, they will again be without Williams, while the statuses of Alexander, Bullard, and Walker remain up in the air at this time, potentially testing the depth of this unit once again and against a much more dangerous opponent.

“It’s a very big game,” said Jordan Love of the matchup against Minnesota. “Division game, and then obviously we lost to them earlier this season so one of these games we need to get back. We’ve got to go win this game, and we talked about it earlier, we’ve got to be able to beat these good teams.

“The Vikings are a very good team and we’ve got to be able to go into their place and handle business. But it starts with the work we put in throughout the week, get the good game-planning going, but yeah, we definitely owe these guys and we’ll be motivated to go play them.”

Packers run game showcases its versatility in win vs Saints

Paul Bretl | 12/23/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The run game was again a catalyst behind the Packers’ success on offense, this time as they cruised to victory over the New Orleans Saints, while clinching a playoff spot in the process.

However, unlike in previous games, where Josh Jacobs shouldered the workload on the ground, a number of others got in on the action on Monday night as well, showcasing the versatility that the Packers have with their rushing attack.

“We just want to put the ball in our playmakers hands and we definitely saw looks from this team specifically of ways we could expose that,” said Christian Watson of the receivers involvement in the run game. “So it’s definitely something that we implemented to try to get the ball in our guys hands.”

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Now, of course, Jacobs was still the focal point, leading the team in attempts and yards with 13 carries for 69 yards at an efficient 5.3 yards per rush. Jacobs would also rush for a touchdown in his sixth consecutive game–the second-longest such streak in Packers’ franchise history.

But joining Jacobs in the run game’s success were eight other players. As you’d expect, we saw Emanuel Wilson and Chris Brooks get their opportunities, with the backup duo totaling 75 yards on 17 carries, along with each player finding the end zone as well.

“It’s a good group all around,” said Jordan Love after the game. “I think everyone had a touchdown in that group tonight so I think that’s always fun whenever all those guys can get touchdowns and get those opportunities to get some touches.

“But obviously, Josh is the main guy in that group and then to have Emanuel and Chris be able to come in and they had some big-time runs tonight too, breaking tackles and just those second-effort plays which goes unnoticed. But yeah, it’s a really good group that we’re going to need to lean on.”

In addition to the running backs, Jordan Love would also scramble for two yards on a play and Malik Willis had three carries–including two kneel downs–as well once he entered the game. We again saw Tucker Kraft initially go in motion while Love was in shotgun before quickly stopping under center to get the snap on a 3rd-and-1 play to pick up the first down. Kraft is now 3-for-3 in picking up first downs on such plays this season.

So right there, six different Packers players touched the ball in the run game. But where did the rest of the carries come from?

Well, it was the receiver position. Between Christian Watson, Bo Melton, and Jayden Reed, the three would carry the ball four times, totaling 42 yards. With nine different players recording a carry in this game, it was the first time since 1953 that this many players have had a rush attempt for the Packers, according to ESPN.

“We knew (they) weren’t traveling as much with the motions, so we started handing the ball off,” said Bo Melton. “Saw a lot of guys get around the edge on them, so we just started running out of the outside-zone things. It was fun.”

After multiple weeks of Green Bay frequently giving the ball to Jacobs between the tackles, the Packers utilized that previous tape to their advantage with misdirections, play-fakes, and getting the ball in their receivers’ hands as they stretched the defense horizontally by running towards the boundary.

In general, this element, running outside the tackle box, was a big part of the gameplan on the ground and went a bit against the grain in regards to what they had done in recent weeks. According to PFF’s initial metrics, six of Jacobs’ 13 carries went outside the tackles. For Wilson, eight of his 11 rushes were outside and Brooks had three of his six attempts head towards the boundary.

This ability that the Packers have shown to run between the tackles with a gap-blocking scheme and on the perimeter with an outside zone scheme adds a layer of unpredictability to their running game. Sure, defenses know Green Bay wants to run the ball, but they can attack opponents in a variety of ways with that, particularly when the receivers begin to get involved as well.

“We wanted to run a little bit outside zone tonight and we did,” said Sean Rhyan. “That’s kind of our base, core O-line thing is we’re an outside zone team and we’ve been going to a little bit gap scheme these past few weeks. Tonight was really good because it lets teams know that we still got outside. You can’t let those edges get soft now. It was real good.”

When it was all said and done on Monday night, the Packers finished the game rushing for 188 yards, three touchdowns, and averaging 4.8 yards per rush as a team.

“They’re playing good,” said Love of the offensive line. “I mean, anytime you can run the ball the way we’re running the ball, it’s obviously a testament to the Oline. And then in the pass game, another game no sacks so they’re playing really well as a unit and they’re going out there and handling business.

“There’s a lot that’s put on their plate with protections and different things that we do, and they’re doing a great job. We’re going to need to keep leaning on them obviously like I said with the run game but the pass game they’ve been great.”

The Packers’ reliance on other ball carriers and not running between the tackles as often was clearly a big part of the gameplan and is something they thought they could exploit against this Saints’ defense. The trickle-down effect of that, along with jumping out to a big lead, is that it also resulted in the Packers being able to take some of the workload and impact off of Jacobs’ shoulders with him on the sidelines for much of the second half.

Jacobs entered Monday night’s game having carried the ball 265 times this season, which was the third-highest mark in football through 14 games. If we add in his 31 receptions, Jacobs had touched the ball nearly 300 times this season and has been on the field for 589 snaps and that doesn’t include his workload from the Saints’ matchup.

This heavy involvement in the offense isn’t anything new for Jacobs. During his All-Pro 2022 season was Las Vegas, Jacobs was on the field for over 800 offensive snaps and carried the ball 340 times that year, on his way to rushing for 1,653 yards.

Although the path that Jacobs is currently on with Green Bay may not be uncharted territory, he is on pace for this 2024 season to be the second most carries he’s had over his six-year playing career. Through regular communication during the week with the coaching staff, his weekly preparation, and running style meant to mitigate the force of the impact, Jacobs has remained fresh this season, even with all those touches.

What the Packers put on Jacobs’ plate is always going to be front of mind in an effort to make sure he is fresh as possible come the postseason. With that said, if Jacobs is feeling good and until the Packers’ playoff position is set in stone, they will continue to rely on him as needed.

“I think that’s all the time,” said LaFleur when asked about being aware of Jacobs’ workload. “I think we got to be mindful of his workload 100% and he does a great job communicating with us in terms of where he’s at, and he’s been pretty healthy. So and certainly the production speaks for itself. I mean, he’s an animal out there.”

The Green Bay running game nearly outperformed the passing game. Love would complete 16-of-28 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. He averaged a modest 6.5 yards per attempt. In total, the Packers threw for 216 yards, with a 34-yard completion from Willis to Reed capping things off.

Overall, the Packers’ passing game couldn’t quite find its groove in this game, appearing disjointed at times throughout the night. While now at 5-10, the Saints have had their issues this season, where they’ve regularly made things difficult for opponents is through the air. New Orleans entered the game ranked eighth in interceptions, second in pass deflections, and had the fourth-lowest opponent passer rating.

“If you look at how they’ve been playing defensively, especially over the last five weeks, that’s a stingy group and they’re tough to go against,” LaFleur said of the Saints. “So I thought we came out of the gates the way we needed to and we weren’t getting a ton of explosive plays – they make you earn it, they can challenge you.

“I thought they did a good job of playing off of some tendencies they may have had on tape. Joe Woods, I’ve got a lot of respect for him. I think he’s one of the better coaches in this league and he was keeping us off balance quite a bit.”

Sparked by the running game, the Packers’ offense is rolling right now. After their performance against the Saints, the Packers have now scored at least 30 points in five straight games. Obviously, in order for that to happen, there has to be a lot of good. However, while true, the Packers also believe that there is still some meat left on that bone.

“There was a lot of good things,” said LaFleur of the offensive performance. “Certainly some things that were frustrating in the second half. I didn’t love that pseudo two-minute drive at the end of the first half, didn’t capitalize on that, had a three and out and had to punt. And then there were a couple missed opps I think in the second half.

“I thought they did a good job of getting to Jordan when we decided to throw the ball. Like I said, they played a little bit more man coverage in the second half and made it a little bit more difficult just to get explosive plays. But ultimately it was one of those where you felt pretty comfortable with a lead and you weren’t going to get too crazy, and kinda, we did what we had to do running the football.”

Packers preparing for ‘tough’ Saints team, led by pass rush and ball production

Paul Bretl | 12/22/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers will enter Monday night’s matchup with the Saints as the heavy, heavy favorites in this game. Green Bay is favored by 14 points, a hefty and not frequently seen points spread in the NFL.

However, that points spread is the outside perception of how this game should unfold. Inside the building, the Packers are preparing for a Saints team that plays hard for 60 minutes and one that Matt LaFleur believes isn’t all that far off from being a playoff contender.

“The Saints have done an outstanding job,” said LaFleur on Saturday. “Teams are having a hard time moving the ball and having a hard time scoring points. A lot of these guys have been close. They’ve lost four games by three points or less. You’re talking about – that’s a very minimal difference. They could easily be sitting at 9-5 right now. I think our guys realize what type of team is coming in here and what’s at stake. So, I would expect us to play our best ball.”

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The Saints’ defense will enter Sunday’s game, allowing 22.3 points per game this season, which ranks as the 13th-best mark this season. There are two areas in particular where this unit thrives and that’s in getting after the quarterback and forcing interceptions.

Among all defensive ends, Chase Young’s 56 pressures are the ninth-most this season, while Carl Granderson’s 55 are the 11th-most. In the middle of that front is Bryan Bresee’s 30 pressures are the 27th-most out of all interior defenders in 2024. Collectively, New Orleans has generated the 12th-most sacks, and not to be forgotten about either is Cam Jordan, who has played at a high level for a long time.

“All of them,” said offensive line coach Luke Butkus when asked what the challenge is with the Saints’ defensive front. “All eight of them that they play, all eight of them are big, all of them are strong. They have some veteran leadership up there. They’re physical and they play with great effort. I like the guys that are really good that don’t play hard. These guys are really good and they play hard.”

And although the Saints’ defense doesn’t blitz often, when they do, those designed pressures often come on third downs and from disguised looks.

“They’re blitz packages, their third downs, they’ve got multiple different packages they use,” said Adam Stenavich. “They do a good job with Demario Davis, rushing and picking and all that stuff so they’ve done a good job all year just creating pressure on the quarterback, and they’ve done that for years. That’s a problem every time you play the Saints you know what you’re in for, but they do a really good job.”

Pressure, of course, disrupts the timing and rhythm of a play for the offense and can mean less time in coverage for the defensive backs. That speeding up of the process for quarterbacks can impact a passer’s mechanics, leading to inaccurate throws and mistakes.

For much of the season, the Packers’ offensive line has held up well against pressure, ranking eighth in ESPN’s pass-block win rate metric. Then, since the bye week in particular, Jordan Love has done a very good job of managing to avoid negative plays when he is under duress.

Patrolling the back end of Saints’ defense is Tyrann Mathieu, who has totaled three interceptions this season and a secondary as a whole that has been very good at making plays on the ball this season. The Saints rank fourth in pass deflections this season and are eighth in total interceptions.

“They’ve just been playing tough defense,” added LaFleur. “They’ve always had a pretty formidable front seven, and I would say that still remains true. And then they got guys that can take the ball away in the back, and they really challenge you. I think (Alontae) Taylor’s a really good corner. Obviously, the Honey Badger, he knows how to get the ball away. So they’ve got, they still got great players back there.”

Now, with that said, where New Orleans has been susceptible defensively is in the run game, surrendering 4.7 yards per rush this season. Although Josh Jacobs has already had a heavy workload this season–totaling the third-most carries among running backs–until their playoff position is set in stone, it sounds like it will remain business as usual, and given this matchup, that could mean another Jacobs-centric gameplan for the Packers.

On paper, the Saints are 5-9, made a coaching change earlier in the season, and are dealing with a number of key injuries. But as we all know, the game of football isn’t played on paper. This team will keep their foot on the game for all four quarters–look no further than last week’s performance against Washington.

Trailing 14-0 at halftime, the Saints made a change at quarterback, putting in rookie Spencer Rattler with Derek Carr sidelined. Rattler led an 11-play, 56-yard scoring drive that included a touchdown pass with no time left on the clock. The Saints would go for the win and attempt a two-point conversion that came up just short, and their second-half comeback was halted in what ended up being a 20-19 loss.

“Especially a rookie quarterback,” said LaFleur of Rattler’s performance against Washington. “I think that tells you a lot about the guy. He’s a talented guy. He was highly recruited coming out of high school and has been able to produce at the college level. He’s a natural thrower. I was impressed with him through the draft process last year. He’s got a lot of talent and he’s got some weapons around him.”

For the Packers, they are still chasing that elusive consistency in these final weeks. As good as their performance was against Seattle this past week, which included a very fast start, scoring on their first four possessions, and once again hitting the 30 point mark for the fourth straight game, there was a four possession stretch in the second half that went punt, fumble, punt, turnover on downs, and lasted a total of 15 plays.

It’s those types of stretches that the team has to avoid come January against the NFC’s best. It’s stretches like that one that can send a team home in the playoffs. And this week, against a Saints team that will give you its best shot for an entire game, it’s those types of possessions that can allow New Orleans to hang around.

“This is the National Football League,” LaFleur said. “You’d better get yourself ready to go, otherwise you’re going to get your ass kicked. I don’t care who you’re playing. I’ve got a lot of respect for these guys and if you looked at what they’ve been able to accomplish in a short period of time, I mean, look at the game last week and their ability to come back. I mean, they had a chance to win the game on the last play of the game. So, you just, to me, every week’s the same.”

Who starts at middle linebacker for Packers if Quay Walker is out?

Paul Bretl | 12/21/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Earlier in the week, Matt LaFleur would call Packers’ linebacker “week to week” after he exited the Seattle game with an ankle injury. Through two days of practice, Walker has been a non-participant and was seen in the locker room with a boot on his left foot.

With it trending in the direction that Walker won’t be available on Monday night against New Orleans, the question then becomes, who will start at Mike linebacker for the Packers in his absence?

Perhaps the name on the radar of many right now is Edgerrin Cooper, given his lights-out performance against Seattle. So why not give him a larger role and put that playmaking ability right in the middle of the defense?

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Cooper played just 34 snaps against Seattle, but goodness were they impactful. According to PFF, he recorded three pressures, one sack, made a handful of tackles, and allowed just two receptions on six targets for 13 yards with an interception and a pass breakup. As a result, Cooper was named the NFC’s Defensive Player of the Week for the second time this season.

When there is the type of speed an athleticism at the linebacker position that Cooper possesses, there is added flexibility for Jeff Hafley in how he builds out the gameplan and deploys other positions because of the ground he can cover.

However, Cooper is still a rookie navigating the learning curve that comes with making the jump from college to the NFL level. He’s also missed practice time on a few different occasions since training camp due to injuries. That is a lot of valuable snaps missed out on, which in part, is why he’s played just 34 snaps this past Sunday, with Green Bay wanting to continue easing him back in.

Asking Cooper to play the Mike linebacker position right now would be throwing him into a brand new role on the fly, putting a lot on his plate, and potentially limiting his impact.

“The thing you’ve got to be really careful of as a young guy who’s missed a lot of practice is, trying to get him to learn too much because he just hasn’t had the reps at one, let alone two (positions),” said Jeff Hafley on Thursday of Cooper. “Like, he’s played some Sam for us, and now he’s playing a lot of Will, so you’ve got to be really careful overloading him or he won’t be able to go out there.

“It’s not as easy as you think, right? It’s not like, ‘I’m going to go out and play corner, and then I’m going to play nickel.’ There’s more that goes into switching from that position.”

So if it’s not Cooper, that really leaves either Eric Wilson or Isaiah McDuffie to fill that role. Perhaps rather than guessing what the Packers might do on Monday, we can look to what they did in past games this season for the answer.

When Walker exited the Houston game in Week 7 with an injury, it was Wilson who stepped into the Mike role mid-game. The following week against Jacksonville, with Walker still out, it was again Wilson who wore the green dot, and he took some snaps there as well in Week 2 against Indianapolis.

Now in his seventh NFL season, Wilson brings experience to what is a younger Packers’ linebacker room. Oftentimes, with that experience, you’ve seen more; you’ve been in numerous different situations, allowing for a larger workload and a greater understanding of the defensive scheme. But getting to that point on Sundays begins with the work that is put in during the week leading up to the game.

“Eric, he’s just a consistent person,” said Matt LaFleur. “He’s very regimented in terms of his approach. I think that you don’t look like that if you’re not disciplined. He’s just consistent. That’s the best way I can describe him. He just goes out there and executes, and he does it in two phases of the game, he does it on defense and then on teams as well.”

I would also think that part of the equation when making this decision is which player can be on the field for 60-70 plays because your Mike linebacker can’t be coming off in specific situations–he’s the signal caller. Wilson, with his ability in coverage, brings a more well-rounded skill-set compared to McDuffie, who is oftentimes at his best when defending the run.

The responsibilities of the Mike linebacker go well beyond just getting the play-call in for the rest of the defense. This player is essentially the quarterback on the defensive side of the ball, tasked with getting everyone set, making pre-snap adjustments and so much more.

“When you have to tell everybody else what they’re doing and then go out and execute your job, I know that might not seem hard, but that’s not easy,” Hafley said. “Some of our calls can be kind of lengthy. So for him to make a tackle, get up, shake off whatever has happened, gather everybody up, tell everybody the call, hear something else, I might tell him what I think is coming to tell this guy or that guy and then line up and make a close call.

“I mean, there’s a lot that goes into that and I think he’s a veteran guy who brings a calmness and I think he’s had success doing that.”

With Wilson at the Mike, the Packers can–as much as possible in this situation–maintain continuity at the position, keeping Cooper as the Will and McDuffie as the Sam linebackers. And while that continuity element does seem small, whether talking offense or defense, it is very important.

“At that position there’s a lot that goes into it,” Hafley said. “One, he’s got to get the call from me, he’s got to give that to everybody, he’s got to make checks up front, he’s got to make checks behind him, he’s got to calm everything down, he’s got to get certain guys lined up. Eric’s a really smart player.”

Packers vs Saints 2023 matchup showcased potential of Jordan Love and offense that is now being unlocked

Paul Bretl | 12/20/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — The Packers have the opportunity to clinch a playoff spot on Monday night with a win over the New Orleans Saints. The last time these two teams met was in Week 3 of the 2023 season, which isn’t all that long ago, but the Packers’ offense then versus now is night and day different–although we caught a glimpse of the potential that was there in that game.

“Just kind of reliving the game, watching it this week, it’s amazing, just especially, obviously, from the offensive standpoint, the product that we put out then, versus to where we are today, I feel like it’s, it’s night and day,” said Matt LaFleur on Thursday.

Green Bay entered that Week 3 matchup at 1-1 on the season, having come off a loss to Atlanta. Through three quarters, the Saints controlled the game, up 17-0 over the Packers. However, once the fourth quarter arrived, Jordan Love would take over.

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Love’s overall efficiency numbers in that fourth quarter aren’t going to leap off the page. He was 22-of-44 passing overall and just 7-for-18 in the fourth quarter. But when a big play was needed, Love and the offense often came through.

On those seven fourth-quarter completions, Love totaled 104 yards with a touchdown pass, along with rushing for 25 yards and another touchdown. There were also two defensive pass interference penalties totaling 67 yards in that quarter that won’t show up on the stat sheet.

“We had a lot of young players, and it’s not just, it’s not just on the quarterback. But he did an unbelievable job, I would say, in the second half of that game, particularly in the fourth quarter of making some big time plays. I mean, you know, on the final drive, obviously that two point play was critical. We’d scored on a fourth and one right before that. So he made a lot of great plays throughout the course of that game.”

The Packers had three fourth quarter possessions in that game and scored on all of them. The first was an Anders Carlson field goal to cut the deficit to 17-3. On the next drive, the Packers went 80 yards in seven plays, taking only 1:29 off the clock and capped off the touchdown drive with Love going off-script on the two-point conversion play to find Samori Toure in the end zone.

Now, trailing 17-11, the Green Bay defense forced another quick punt, giving Love the ball back. The Packers followed that up with another 80 yard touchdown drive that lasted nine plays and took just 2:27. All of sudden, just like that, the Packers had a 18-17 lead with under two minutes remaining.

“Anytime you face some adversity like that and you’re able to overcome it, it just helps you grow,” said Christian Watson of the comeback. “It helps the individuals of this team grow and our team as a whole grow. So it was definitely huge for development as a team.”

Following this win, the Packers found themselves at 2-1 on the season, but that fourth quarter performance, while impressive, was far from the turning point in the season for a young Packers’ offense.

Green Bay would go on to lose four in a row and it wasn’t until the team’s Week 10 matchup in Pittsburgh that Matt LaFleur would start to really feel the tide begin to turn on the offensive side of the ball.

With that said, what that early season matchup with New Orleans did showcase was the resiliency of this Packers team to bounce back and fight to the end, along with the big play potential and ability to put up points quickly. There is also something to be said for being able to come through in those key, must-have-it moments, as Love did on that Sunday.

“That game definitely meant a lot to everybody in the locker room, and I think it just showed our ability to stay together,” said Jordan Love at his locker on Thursday.

“Obviously it was not a great game, not a great starter for us and I think just everybody staying together and nobody flinching being down 17 and to be able to come back and just chip away at that lead and take it one play at a time, I think it helped us going forward and gave everybody that mindset that no matter what the situation is, what the score might be that we can come back from anything, so I think that definitely helped us a lot.”

Fast forward about 15 months, and after a late-season surge in 2023 that got Green Bay to 9-8 and into the playoffs as the NFC’s seventh seed, the Packers are now 10-4 this season and have one of the highest-scoring offenses in football at 27.1 points per game and a unit that, throughout the season, has been one of the best at generating big plays.

As good as the home stretch last season was for Love and the offense, LaFleur believes that right now, Love is playing the best football of his career. Since Week 11, the Packers’ first game out of the bye week, Love is completing 68.7% of his passes, which is the eighth-best mark during that span. He also leads the NFL in yards per pass attempt at 9.9 and has thrown eight touchdowns to just one interception.

“This is the best ball he’s played,” LaFleur said of Love. “Just when I look at all the little things like I explained the other day, in terms of his ability to manipulate the pocket when he’s under duress, getting the ball to his checkdowns, or whatever it may be, I think he’s playing at a really high level.”

As always, there are numerous factors contributing to that success, which includes improved decision-making from Love, the fact that he’s healthy, along with having Josh Jacobs and a strong run game to lean on. However, as we saw in the offense’s performance against Seattle last Sunday, with four empty possessions in the second half that included a fumble, two punts, and a turnover on downs that in total lasted just 15 plays, this Green Bay offense is still in search of that elusive four quarter performance as well.

With injuries, this hasn’t been the same Saints’ defense in 2024 that ranked 10th in points per game allowed last season. However, this group still has the ability to get after the quarterback, with Chase Young and Carl Granderson each above the 55-pressure mark this season, not to mention that New Orleans ranks tied for eighth in interceptions.

“They’ve just been playing tough defense,” said LaFleur of New Orleans. “They’ve always had a pretty formidable front seven, and I would say that still remains true. And then they got guys that can take the ball away in the back, and they really challenge you. I think (Alontae) Taylor’s a really good corner. Obviously, the Honey Badger, he knows how to get the ball away. So they’ve got, they still got great players back there.”

How will Packers handle Josh Jacobs’ workload in preparation for playoffs?

Paul Bretl | 12/19/2024

GREEN BAY, Wis. — Running back Josh Jacobs has shouldered a heavy workload for the Packers’ offense this season. But now, as the regular season begins to wind down and with the playoffs on the horizon, does Green Bay need to be more mindful of Jacobs’ touches in these remaining weeks?

“I think that’s all the time,” said Matt LaFleur when asked about being aware of Jacobs’ workload. “I think we got to be mindful of his workload 100% and he’s, he does a great job communicating with us in terms of where he’s at, and he’s been pretty healthy. So and certainly the production speaks for itself. I mean, he’s, he’s an animal out there.”

Through now 14 games, Jacobs has carried the ball 265 times this season–the third-highest mark among running backs. If we add in his 31 receptions, Jacobs has touched the ball nearly 300 times this season and has been on the field for 589 snaps.

Although the path that Jacobs is currently on with Green Bay may not be uncharted territory, he is on pace for this 2024 season to be the second most carries he’s had over his six year playing career. So with three games to go, how is Jacobs holding up?

“I feel great,” said Jacobs at his locker on Thursday. “I feel great. I don’t have no bruises, no nothing right now. I feel great. Just as long as I feel good, I feel like we can do whatever we can do. If I was battling with something right now, then I would probably say be precautious but I feel great.”

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Jacobs’ certainly has the ability to make defenders miss. He’s going to enter Week 16 with the second-most missed tackles forced among running backs in 2024, according to PFF. But as an often in between the tackle runner, there’s a level of physicality that Jacobs brings as well, and with that can come a lot of hits.

Taking those hits as a running back is just an entry-level requirement that comes with the job description. However, with Jacobs’ running style, he can mitigate the impact of those hits, thus reducing the constant pounding that can come with carrying the ball as often as he has.

“I don’t think defenders really hit me that hard,” added Jacobs. “I kind of pick and choose, too. One thing about playing this long, you kind of know angles and things like that so even if I do get tackled, it’s not like I’m getting smacked on the tackle. I’m falling a certain type of way, I’m taking angles where I might use their force against them and really help myself. So, for me, I’ve been pretty clean, man. I can’t complain.”

The other part of that equation for the Packers’ offense when it comes to being mindful of the wear-and-tear being put on Jacobs are the play-calls and the execution from the offensive line, so he has more running lanes and space to operate within, rather than being hit quickly.

“Very few times do I feel like when we give him the ball, he doesn’t make the first guy miss,” said Matt LaFleur. “And so hopefully we’ll continue to draw up some better things for him, because he’s, he’s handled a lot of tough yards where he’s getting hit in the hole or a yard downfield and still getting positive yardage out of the plays.”

The preparation for Jacobs to make sure that he is physically at his best on Sundays starts the week prior, with his recovery following the previous week’s game, along with what he eats throughout the week and his workout regimen.

Also, an important factor in that equation is the daily communication with the coaching staff, specifically how Jacobs is feeling that day and what his workload in practice is going to look like to ensure he’s being put in the best position to perform on gamedays.

“If I let him, he’d take every rep in practice,” said running backs coach Ben Sirmans. “That’s the type of mindset that he has. But you’ve just got to be smart with him. We do walk-throughs, also, so that’s an opportunity for him to get his reps and go through the sequence of a play.

“It’s more of me making sure that I can maximize him enough during the week to where he’s getting something out of it so that way when Sunday or Monday comes around, he’s at his full energetic level.”

Since the bye week, Jacobs and the run game has often been the catalyst for the Packers’ offense. That ability to produce steadily on the ground keeps the offense ahead of the sticks and out of predictable passing situations. Operating from those short down-and-distance situations then opens up the entire playbook for the offense, and as a result, spreads the defense out.

“It’s been very huge for us,” said Jordan Love about Jacobs and the run game. “I think, we always talk about starting the game off fast, and any time you can just hand the ball to a guy and run the ball down the field, I definitely think it sets kind of the tempo of the game.

“The defense has got to figure out how they’re going to make adjustments. Are they going to try to load the box to stop the run going forward? There’s a lot of things that come out with it. I think it’s also a mentality. It gives everybody from the o-line to the running backs, everybody just confidence when you can come out and start the game just pounding the ball in the run game.”

At 10-4, the Packers are positioned well when it comes to making the playoffs. And with NFC North title just about mathmatically out of reach, they are also pretty locked into being the NFC’s sixth-seed in the playoffs.

However, while all that is true, none of what was just mentioned is set in stone either. Green Bay still hasn’t clinched a playoff spot–although they’ll have the opportunity to do so on Monday against New Orleans–and moving up to the NFC’s fifth-seed is still in play at this point.

So until any or all of that changes and the Packers are locked into a playoff spot, it’s going to be business as usual, with the focus on getting better each day and continuing to win on Sundays–which means, Jacobs, for the time being, is likely going to remain a key part of that equation.

“I worry about trying to be our best in the moment and get better and better and better and, I mean, there’s nothing’s a lock for us,” added LaFleur. “So you’ve got to go and win games. Now, having said that, when we get to that point, if we get to that point, then I think that’s a conversation.”