Important storylines to watch for Packers vs. Cardinals in Week 6

The Green Bay Packers will host the Arizona Cardinals this weekend, with both teams needing a win to stay in the hunt in their respective divisions.

It projects to be a really interesting game for various reasons, and both teams aim to build momentum with another victory.

There's going to be a host of things to watch in Week 6, but here are three of the biggest storylines.

Are we in for another quiet game from the Packers' defensive front?

I've talked before about the problems facing the Packers' defensive front, but it remains a real worry. Despite boasting plenty of talent on paper, this unit has completely failed to get things going this season. Per PFF, they have generated just 61 pressures in five games.

Perhaps more worrying is the fact that none of the edge-rushers have more than eight pressures. For context, there are 49 edges across the NFL who have at least 10 pressures. Aidan Hutchinson has 40 on his own.

RELATED: Rashan Gary's rank among all edge-rushers in pressures should worry Packers fans

If you don't include the game against a woeful Tennessee Titans offensive line, this edge group has generated one sack and one quarterback hit all season. It is worth noting that there are only seven teams in the NFL allocating a larger proportion of their cap to their edge room than Green Bay. That sort of production just is not good enough for a team that entered the season with legitimate postseason ambitions.

Recent comments from Matt LaFleur suggest it could be another lean weekend in Week 6. In speaking about the defensive line's production on his podcast with The Athletic's Matt Schneidman, LaFleur said that a big reason behind the quiet start has been that the Packers faced two mobile quarterbacks early in the season and that this limits opportunities for backfield production.

"You have a different rush plan," said LaFleur. "Your rush play may be just to condense the pocket. You have got to be a little bit more calculated in how you rush the passer."

With Kyler Murray on the horizon, it seems like the Packers' approach will be to keep him contained and force him to work from the pocket. Whether or not that works, only time will tell, but this group seriously needs to start making an impact.

Do we see more of Green Bay's promising rookie defenders?

One of the best things about the Packers' Week 5 clash with the Los Angeles Rams was getting to watch a pair of defensive rookies make play after play. Linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and safety Evan Williams were both excellent in that game and will have Packers fans excited for what the future holds.

Williams made the first start of his NFL career, fitting in perfectly next to Xavier McKinney. This also allowed Javon Bullard to kick down into the slot, a position he excelled at during his time at Georgia. Williams was targeted six times against the Rams, allowing just 19 yards and forcing two incompletions.

Cooper also played well and already looks like he might be the Packers' best off-ball linebacker just a few games into his NFL career. Whilst that isn't a particularly high bar to clear, having a more reliable player at the heart of the defense can really help this unit find its feet. It's going to be interesting to see what sort of role they have against Arizona this weekend and whether they can repeat their promising performances against a better offense.

Can the offense find more consistency on early-down dropbacks?

One of the hallmarks of the Matt LaFleur era has been Green Bay's ability to stay on schedule with early-down dropbacks. Through LaFleur's first four seasons with the team, they ranked sixth in dropback success rate at 51.1 percent.

That seems to have dried up through the start of the 2024 season. It's not just that the Packers have declined - they've fallen off a cliff. Through the first six weeks, Green Bay ranks 28th in early-down dropback success rate. That puts them between the Will Levis-led Titans and the Denver Broncos—hardly the sort of offensive company you want to keep.

It is fair to wonder what the problem is. In truth, there's no simple answer. Jordan Love's health has been a factor as he's clearly not at his best. Injuries to the receiving corps have also played a part, as has Love's league-high 11.1% drop rate.

The good news for Green Bay is that this week, they should have the perfect opportunity to right the ship. While there are many things to like about this Cardinals team, their early-down pass defense is not one of them. They are allowing a success rate of 61.5 percent, comfortably the worst in the NFL. Surely the Packers can exploit this. If not, we might have a real problem on our hands.

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