This past Sunday, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars by a score of 24-20. In a game that felt like the Packers dominated, it came down to a touchdown drive in the closing minutes and a stop by the defense that sent the Jaguars packing. The Jaguars played well, and with the help of a special team’s touchdown, the game was closer than many might have imagined. In fact, I’ve seen quite a bit of fuss out on Packer’s Twitter, stating that the Packers should have won by more. I, on the other hand, didn’t get that take away from this game. It’s the NFL, and it doesn’t really matter if you’re playing a team that only has one win this season. Every team is good. If you don’t come to play on Sunday, every team can beat you. This game looked closer in the box score than it actually was, and as the season passes the midway point, I do believe we have a clearer understanding of this year’s Packers team.
At this point in the season, I know what this team can and cannot do. This team, like many Aaron Rodgers, led Packers teams, can put up a lot of points, especially when they’re healthy. Allen Lazard comes back next week, and if all the running backs stay healthy, this team can attack you in a lot of different ways. However, this team cannot stop the run, which is upsetting because it’s the same problem as last year’s team. The difference this year is that the NFC isn’t stacked with run-first teams. With the fall out of the 49er’s due to injury, what other teams in the NFC can run the ball at an elite level? The Vikings? And that’s about it. And they might not even make the playoffs. All the other great rushing teams in the NFL are in the AFC, and the Packers won’t have to play them until the Super Bowl. Think back to last year. What games did we lose? There was the Eagles game where Jordan Howard looked like the best back in the league against us. The Chargers, the trap game of last year, and then the 49ers who ran the ball down the throat of the Packers defense.
Now, I don’t think the Green Bay Packers are a lock for the Super Bowl. Tampa Bay handed the Packers their lunch earlier this year, and with the addition of Antonio Brown, they got a lot more dynamic. But Tampa seems very inconsistent. You either face the best team in the league, or you get the team the Saints annihilated. Tampa also looked like crap against the Bears. So what team are we going to see in the playoffs? The Packers match up well against the Saints, Seahawks, Rams, Cardinals, and whatever shit pile stumbles out of the NFC East. Who stands as the mismatch we don’t want to see in the playoffs?
Another thing that has surprised me with this year’s team is the pass rush. Or I should say the lack thereof. Where has the pass rush gone? It was elite last year, and with the development of Rashan Gerry, you would have thought it would get better. This defense is designed to get after the quarterback, and thus far this season, it’s been situationally good at best. This defense has been labeled “soft,” and it seems like we are complacent with that. The reality of the situation is that with the talent this defense possesses, they should be a top 5-10 defense. My prediction for this year’s team relies solely on that side of the ball. If we remain soft, we can expect a second-round exit. If this defense rallies and plays inspired, the sky’s the limit.
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