The Green Bay Packers have extremely talented and high paid defensive backs. Jaire Alexander(when healthy) may just be the best cornerback in the entire league. Yet for some reason, week in and week out, we watch as they line up seven yards off the line of scrimmage and let teams slowly slice and dice them.
The defense is giving up the highest completion percentage in the NFL at 72.9% but the lowest depth of target. If they were 5-0 that would be a great thing. You’d think “they’re running away from teams and forcing dink and dunks to try to catch up.” Alas, they are not 5-0. They are being dink and dunked to death.
According to the Ringer “Green Bay has allowed a 134.3 Passer rating to opposing quarterbacks on plays which include at least one crossing route-only the Steelers are worse. Put the Packers in man coverage and they are six best- but there are only nine snaps in that sample.”
How is this possible? Well, don’t ask the defensive backs coach.
Jerry Gray was asked specifically on Wednesday how the DBs can be aggressive when they’re playing so far off coverage and replied all scheme questions should be directed to DC Joe Barry.
Fortunately somebody did ask Joe Barry and fortunately Joe Barry’s response was exactly what Packers fans needed to hear.
According to Silverstein:
“Asked if it’s a good use of Jaire Alexander to have him play off coverage 50 times in a game, Packers DC said no, even though he calls the coverages. He said it will change. Alexander and other corners will be allowed to play more aggressively. “We will do that moving forward.”
Music to Green Bay’s ears.
But it can’t just be the cornerbacks. Joe Barry’s lack of aggressiveness and failure to adapt has the potential to sink this season. The Packers have legitimate talent at all three levels of their defense but refuse to be the aggressor.
So much has been made of De’Vondre Campbells struggles but when Campbell was crushing last year he was allowed to be an aggressive play making machine. This year Campbell and the rest of the defense seem relegated to sitting back and doing their best to keep the offense in front of them. Maybe not having an elite offense plays a role? It’s a lot easier to take chances and be aggressive when you know the other side of the ball has your back. But you can’t just sit around and wait for the offense to figure it out while losing games. We were told the defense was capable of winning game
There was a 3rd and 4 last week against the Giants where Barry had six guys lined up across the line of scrimmage, showing every sign of a blitz.
New York, completely unconcerned, called the bluff. It was a QB draw! And it worked! The book is so out on Barry’s approach that teams are sticking with QB draws against a six man front!
This week the Packers play the Jets. Zach Wilson, of all qualified starting QBs this year, has the lowest completion percentage (18.8) when facing pressure. It’s time to find out if Joe Barry is a man of his word. If he’s not he might be a man without a job.
