Green Bay Packers: Dead last in run defense
Hey, Green Bay Packers Coach Mike McCarthy, you may think that statistics are for losers, but the recent release of team defense versus the run stats indicate that you better start paying closer attention.
The Green Bay Packers are dead last.
That’s right – you read that correctly … #32 in the entire NFL when it comes to stopping the run.
That’s right – you read that correctly … #32 in the entire NFL when it comes to stopping the run.
So far through four games, the Packers have given up 704 yards on the ground.
Extrapolate that out over 16 games, Coach McCarthy, and you will understand quickly that if this trend continues the Packers will be the ones who are the losers, not those reading the statistics.
Scheme and fundamentals is once again the excuse by McCarthy. He says these things are correctable, but if this is something that can be taught, then you and your staff are doing a pretty crappy job at the chalkboard – or the tablet – or whatever you’re using these days.
Here are the rush defense stats as posted by ESPN this week:
Rushing Yards Leaders
| RK | TEAM | ATT | YDS | YDS/A | LONG | TD | YDS/G | FUM | FUML |
| 1 | Arizona | 74 | 215 | 2.9 | 20 | 2 | 71.7 | 1 | 0 |
| 2 | Seattle | 78 | 217 | 2.8 | 16 | 1 | 72.3 | 4 | 1 |
| 3 | NY Jets | 85 | 253 | 3.0 | 17 | 1 | 63.3 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | San Francisco | 79 | 279 | 3.5 | 25 | 1 | 69.8 | 2 | 1 |
| 5 | Buffalo | 99 | 286 | 2.9 | 14 | 0 | 71.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 6 | Denver | 82 | 316 | 3.9 | 25 | 4 | 105.3 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Detroit | 95 | 323 | 3.4 | 35 | 3 | 80.8 | 2 | 1 |
| 8 | Baltimore | 100 | 330 | 3.3 | 22 | 2 | 82.5 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | Cincinnati | 67 | 340 | 5.1 | 29 | 2 | 113.3 | 2 | 1 |
| 10 | Washington | 107 | 348 | 3.3 | 23 | 2 | 87.0 | 4 | 2 |
| 11 | San Diego | 86 | 389 | 4.5 | 51 | 2 | 97.3 | 2 | 2 |
| 12 | NY Giants | 100 | 405 | 4.1 | 46 | 5 | 101.3 | 1 | 0 |
| 13 | Indianapolis | 96 | 419 | 4.4 | 23 | 4 | 104.8 | 1 | 0 |
| 14 | Miami | 112 | 429 | 3.8 | 47 | 3 | 107.3 | 3 | 1 |
| 15 | Dallas | 86 | 434 | 5.0 | 62 | 1 | 108.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 16 | Minnesota | 113 | 453 | 4.0 | 48 | 3 | 113.3 | 1 | 0 |
| Pittsburgh | 97 | 453 | 4.7 | 41 | 3 | 113.3 | 0 | 0 | |
| 18 | Cleveland | 89 | 461 | 5.2 | 38 | 4 | 153.7 | 1 | 0 |
| Tampa Bay | 125 | 461 | 3.7 | 38 | 4 | 115.3 | 5 | 3 | |
| 20 | St. Louis | 91 | 465 | 5.1 | 67 | 4 | 155.0 | 2 | 0 |
| 21 | Kansas City | 93 | 466 | 5.0 | 24 | 0 | 116.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Chicago | 104 | 490 | 4.7 | 47 | 3 | 122.5 | 2 | 1 |
| 23 | New Orleans | 112 | 494 | 4.4 | 28 | 4 | 123.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 24 | Tennessee | 132 | 508 | 3.8 | 22 | 5 | 127.0 | 1 | 1 |
| 25 | New England | 117 | 519 | 4.4 | 48 | 2 | 129.8 | 2 | 1 |
| 26 | Houston | 105 | 521 | 5.0 | 41 | 3 | 130.3 | 3 | 1 |
| 27 | Jacksonville | 123 | 522 | 4.2 | 49 | 4 | 130.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 28 | Philadelphia | 133 | 535 | 4.0 | 29 | 1 | 133.8 | 3 | 1 |
| 29 | Carolina | 99 | 563 | 5.7 | 81 | 3 | 140.8 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | Atlanta | 135 | 614 | 4.5 | 55 | 9 | 153.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 31 | Oakland | 147 | 633 | 4.3 | 71 | 4 | 158.3 | 3 | 2 |
| 32 | Green Bay | 153 | 704 | 4.6 | 39 | 5 | 176.0 | 2 | 0 |
While there are other teams that are giving up more per-carry than the Packers’ 4.6 yards, and others that have given up longer runs, the fact of the matter is that the Packers’ rush defense is the worst we’ve seen in years. It’s bad … no, it’s beyond bad … it’s simply pathetic.
Here’s what Mike McCarthy had to say about the situation on Monday afternoon:
"(On run defense) Conversation with defensive coaches there’s some some things they hit us on schemetically and then for us not very good fundamentals. Second half we got better. Aware the numbers weren’t good. Some things technique-wise that are new to us this season, we didn’t do a good job of that."
Really?
Even all three of my kids – when they were toddlers – would have seen that the Packers weren’t doing “a good job of that.”
And to rub salt in the wound, the Packers haven’t picked up any pointers from the Seahawks, Jets, Lions and Bears, who all destroyed the Packers with their run game and squashed the Packers attempts at running the ball.
Through four games, the Packers’ rushing attack isn’t much better than the defense in stopping the run.
Green Bay is currently ranked twenty-seventh in rushing.
Here’s the bad news:
Rushing Yards Leaders
| RK | TEAM | ATT | YDS | YDS/A | LONG | TD | YDS/G | FUM | FUML |
| 1 | Dallas | 130 | 660 | 5.1 | 44 | 5 | 165.0 | 3 | 2 |
| 2 | NY Jets | 124 | 605 | 4.9 | 71 | 4 | 151.3 | 3 | 1 |
| 3 | Kansas City | 127 | 581 | 4.6 | 48 | 5 | 145.3 | 3 | 1 |
| 4 | Pittsburgh | 108 | 575 | 5.3 | 81 | 3 | 143.8 | 1 | 0 |
| 5 | Miami | 114 | 569 | 5.0 | 24 | 3 | 142.3 | 4 | 2 |
| 6 | San Francisco | 122 | 554 | 4.5 | 28 | 3 | 138.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 7 | Minnesota | 117 | 539 | 4.6 | 67 | 5 | 134.8 | 2 | 0 |
| 8 | Baltimore | 119 | 538 | 4.5 | 41 | 4 | 134.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 9 | New Orleans | 100 | 525 | 5.3 | 62 | 5 | 131.3 | 1 | 0 |
| 10 | Washington | 110 | 492 | 4.5 | 23 | 6 | 123.0 | 3 | 1 |
| 11 | Buffalo | 111 | 489 | 4.4 | 47 | 1 | 122.3 | 1 | 0 |
| 12 | Atlanta | 102 | 487 | 4.8 | 48 | 5 | 121.8 | 2 | 2 |
| 13 | NY Giants | 129 | 481 | 3.7 | 23 | 4 | 120.3 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Tennessee | 95 | 478 | 5.0 | 29 | 2 | 119.5 | 2 | 0 |
| 15 | Indianapolis | 122 | 472 | 3.9 | 29 | 2 | 118.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 16 | Houston | 129 | 459 | 3.6 | 46 | 2 | 114.8 | 3 | 1 |
| 17 | Seattle | 87 | 444 | 5.1 | 51 | 4 | 148.0 | 0 | 0 |
| 18 | Chicago | 97 | 427 | 4.4 | 25 | 0 | 106.8 | 3 | 0 |
| 19 | Cleveland | 91 | 398 | 4.4 | 29 | 5 | 132.7 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | New England | 105 | 390 | 3.7 | 17 | 2 | 97.5 | 0 | 0 |
| 21 | Tampa Bay | 85 | 386 | 4.5 | 54 | 3 | 96.5 | 1 | 1 |
| 22 | Cincinnati | 102 | 365 | 3.6 | 16 | 5 | 121.7 | 0 | 0 |
| 23 | Detroit | 113 | 349 | 3.1 | 26 | 4 | 87.3 | 2 | 1 |
| 24 | Philadelphia | 97 | 348 | 3.6 | 49 | 3 | 87.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 25 | Arizona | 81 | 317 | 3.9 | 22 | 1 | 105.7 | 1 | 1 |
| 26 | St. Louis | 81 | 312 | 3.9 | 18 | 1 | 104.0 | 2 | 1 |
| 27 | Green Bay | 83 | 292 | 3.5 | 17 | 2 | 73.0 | 2 | 2 |
| 28 | Carolina | 93 | 284 | 3.1 | 22 | 1 | 71.0 | 3 | 1 |
| 29 | Jacksonville | 80 | 279 | 3.5 | 20 | 1 | 69.8 | 1 | 1 |
| 30 | San Diego | 117 | 278 | 2.4 | 20 | 1 | 69.5 | 5 | 0 |
| 31 | Oakland | 72 | 246 | 3.4 | 41 | 1 | 61.5 | 1 | 0 |
| 32 | Denver | 71 | 226 | 3.2 | 23 | 1 | 75.3 | 1 | 1 |
Only Carolina, Jacksonville, San Diego, Oakland, and (surprisingly) Denver have fewer overall rushing numbers than the Packers.
So, where do the Packers go from here?
Well, certainly the only direction they can go at this point is up … and what better way to start than to figure out a way to slow down Teddy Bridgewater and the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday?
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If the Packers couldn’t get it figured out over the course of the first four games, I highly doubt the scheme and fundamentals can be addressed over a short week like the team has facing them at this point.
But if this team is going to even have a chance at sniffing the playoffs, they need to do something and to do it quickly.
The season will get away from this team as fast as Matt Forte busting through the Packers front line … and we all saw how fast that occurred.
C’mon, Mike. It can’t get any worse, so let’s get together with the defensive coaches and figure something out … NOW!