Stop the Interior Pass Rush
As I mentioned on the previous page, this defense was supposed to be one of the best we’ve ever seen. The trio of defensive lineman (Aaron Donald, Ndamukong Suh, and Michael Brockers) is a big reason for that expectation. While the defense as a whole has not lived up to those expectations, this group has. They are in-line to give this Green Bay offense fits on Sunday.
The Packers are going to have to find ways to slow down the potent interior pass rush. There are still questions about the strength of Rodgers’ knee and his mobility. Packers fans have only gotten one true half of vintage Aaron Rodgers this year and that was in the first half of week one. It’s obvious he has been affected by the knee. The interior of Green Bay’s offensive line has been just ok. Center Corey Linsley is having a Pro Bowl caliber season, but the two guards have been extremely inconsistent. Communication breakdowns seems to have plagued this unit early on. Hopefully, following the bye week, they are able to rectify those problems.
There is another way to stop the monsters up front: tire them out. Run the football down their throats. According to footballoutsiders.com, the Packers are the fifth most efficient running team in football. It seems obvious what Green Bay should do, right? McCarthy, however, begs to differ. He has been inclined to keep the ball in Rodgers’ hands. Unsurprisingly, this offense is at its peak when it runs the football. McCarthy has recently acknowledged this deficiency and stated that the team needed to run the football more. Yet, it remains to be seen if McCarthy can get out of his own way.