Green Bay Packers: Midseason Missteps – ‘Let’s Be Honest’

Oct 19, 2014; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Dom Capers talks with the defense during warmups prior to the game against the Carolina Panthers at Lambeau Field. Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports photograph

Pass Rush

Let’s be honest – the pass rush could be better.

For the most part, it’s an improvement from last season. With the addition of Julius Peppers and a healthy Clay Matthews, though … we should be getting a lot more penetration on the defensive line than we are, consistently.

Matthews has been taking a lot of heat for his lack of production. Peppers has been impressing. It would seem likely that Peppers‘ presence would free Matthews up for greater sack numbers, but that just hasn’t happened.

While the PSYCHO package and the newly-inserted NASCAR package has had its success in recent weeks, nothing slowed down Drew Brees in week eight, leading many to believe that the Packers heat is only hot when it isn’t facing an elite quarterback.

If that is the case, we will need a whole lot of help to get anywhere against playoff-caliber quarterbacks and offenses.