There was one encouraging sign among all the ugliness in the Green Bay Packers loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday: Joe Barry’s defense is legit, they are here to stay, and they didn’t deserve this fate against the Chiefs.
Anytime you hold Patrick Mahomes and the KC offense to 13 points at Arrowhead Stadium, you better come out with a win. Green Bay’s defense held them to that point total, but it was ultimately let down by the rest of the team. This version of the Kansas City offense hasn’t been nearly as explosive or efficient as they were in years past, but it still has plenty of talent. Barry’s defense bottled them up from the start. Ultimately, it didn’t matter in this one game. But it’s provided an immense amount of optimism in the long run.
For the first time in a long time, the Packers have all the makings of a legitimate defense. They didn’t create a turnover on Sunday as so many other teams have. But they held them to their second-lowest point total of the season and their lowest on their home field.
It was the fifth time Green Bay held an opponent to 17 or fewer this season. This time it came against their biggest test by far, outside of the Arizona Cardinals matchup. Every time it felt like the game was hanging on one more Chiefs scoring drive, Barry’s group stepped up and got a stop. We’re nine games into the season, and they have a string of stout performances stacked up. It’s time to accept that this Packers defense is really good. It’s good enough to lean on for a deep postseason run. They hope to be even more healthy by then.
Jaire Alexander hasn’t played in five weeks, and Za’Darius Smith hasn’t seen the field since Week 1. Those are the top two players on this defense for Green Bay. Not only have they managed without the pair, but they’ve also flourished. Both seem likely to return at some point for the stretch run. Barry has revealed one great game plan after another in their absence.
They had another gem in Kansas City. Mahomes and Co. could not consistently move the ball, and Green Bay forced them into multiple three-and-outs in the second half. The defense provided the Packers’ offense with more than enough opportunities. Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough. Barry’s group did this despite being let down by all the other units on the team.
The Chiefs went for it on a 4th and 1 from their 39-yard line late in the first quarter. Kansas City dialed up a play-action call, and Rashan Gary immediately got pressure on Mahomes off the edge. The former MVP would get it away to Darrell Williams, but the Packers’ defense stuffed the play for negative two yards, and the defense put the offense on the field in Chiefs territory. However, the offense would do nothing with the excellent field position.
Later on, with the two-minute warning nearing in the first half, the Packers had the punt-return unit on the field after another stop by the defense. Rookie returner Amari Rodgers tried waving off the coverage team but did so late, and the ball hit the foot of Malik Taylor. The Chiefs would scoop up the ball and take over at the Green Bay nine-yard line.
The Packers’ defense stood tall and held Kansas City to only three points. They repeatedly provided opportunities on Sunday and were let down by the offense and the special teams groups.
Big matchups loom against really good offenses in the next three weeks. Assuming Russell Wilson is back for the Seattle Seahawks, that’s who is up next for Green Bay. After that is a date in Minnesota against a struggling Vikings team with tons of talent on offense. The Los Angeles Rams will head to Lambeau Field the Sunday after Thanksgiving to put a bow on a brutal three-game stretch. All three will be major tests for this Packers defense, but for the first time since before Dom Capers took over the defense in 2009, there is reason to believe that the defense will hold its own more times than not.
It’s not the way Green Bay drew it up, and it’s not the road the fans expected to travel down but, this has morphed into a team that has a great shot at winning the Super Bowl if they lean on the defense and their running game. Come playoff time, Rodgers will do his thing. But relying on the defense will be just as important. Now, they can do that.
Sunday was frustrating, enraging, and had many pulling their hair out. However, what became more apparent was that this defense is Super Bowl-ready and didn’t deserve the outcome handed down against the Chiefs. Green Bay has a defense. Say it as many times as you need to until you realize it is true.
