Packers: Top five performers in Week 4 win vs. Bills
By Jesse Fry
4. Defensive line
On a day where defense was key, the defensive line played a vital role. Despite the loss of Muhammad Wilkerson, the defensive line played their best game of 2018. Athough they did not record a sack, the D-line collapsed the pocket and forced Allen into the arms of the edge rushers.
Mike Daniels and Kenny Clark pushed Buffalo’s guards back into the lap of Allen all afternoon. Allen was never able to step up in the pocket and Daniels managed to get enough of Allen’s arm to cause a pass to fall short on a third down with the Bills backed up deep on their side of the field.
In run defense Clark, Daniels and Dean Lowry were tough to move and allowed only 58 yards. The tone was set on the first drive of the game when the defense had back-to-back short-yardage stops to force a punt. Holes in the run game were few and far between with the longest run on the day only going for 11 yards.
Coming into the season, the defensive line was thought to be a major strength of the Packers. That hasn’t panned out the way most of us thought. But even with the loss of Wilkerson, this unit can still be a strength.
Clark is coming into his own and may be in line for his first Pro Bowl this year if he keeps it up. Lowry is under-appreciated and strong at the point. Daniels is a wrecking ball and capable of dominating. If Montravius Adams can add something to the pass rush, this team will be just fine without Wilkerson.