Packers: Top five performers in Week 8 loss vs. Rams

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LOS ANGELES, CA – OCTOBER 28: Linebacker Blake Martinez #50 of the Green Bay Packers celebrates after stopping the Los Angeles Rams at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum on October 28, 2018 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /

3. Blake Martinez

Blake Martinez was all over the field on Sunday. Martinez finished with 12 tackles and added a sack to boot.

Martinez was a large reason why the Packers were having success on defense and holding the Rams to just six offensive points in the first half.

Martinez made sure tackles while making some plays in the backfield in the run game. In the pass game, he looks much improved. He stayed in his zone and didn’t allow many easy completions in the middle of the field.

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If Oren Burks can come around and realize his potential this year, the Packers will have a solid middle of their defense with Clark, Mike Daniels, Burks and Martinez.

In Sunday’s game, Martinez was a sideline-to-sideline tackling machine. When passes were completed in his area, he closed fast and limited the yards-after-catch.

Martinez has also developed a knack for the blitz. Pettine used well times calls to get him into the quarterback’s face and disrupt his rhythm.

Martinez may be off the pace of his goal (200 tackles), but he has played solid and has been the key communicator in the middle of the defense.

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