Green Bay Packers

Rashan Gary Is So Much More Than A Sack Machine

Photo Credit: Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Apc Pack Vs Patriots 25695 100222wag

Much of the offseason hype surrounding the Green Bay Packers’ defensive unit focused on the ascension of Rashan Gary from a good NFL player into a great one. Through four games of the 2022 season, there’s been nothing to suggest that the hype train is slowing down. Sunday’s stat-stuffing performance by Gary helped bolster his Defensive Player of the Year credentials. More importantly, it proved that his impact can help the Packers win games when other units are faltering.

The buzz about Gary this offseason wasn’t new for the fourth-year edge rusher, given that he transitioned from the No. 1-overall pick in high school to a first-round pick coming out of the University of Michigan. His statistics improved over his first three seasons, topping out at 9.5 sacks and 28 quarterback hits in 2021, but early returns indicate that Gary is on track to shatter those numbers, having posted five sacks and six quarterback hits in just four games.

Statistics will go a long way in garnering recognition for a variety of end-of-season awards, but what Gary did on Sunday against the New England Patriots was unquestionably one of the reasons that Green Bay was able to overcome an underwhelming first half and a suspect run defense late in the game. On a drive-to-drive basis, the main goal of a defense is to limit the offense on first and second down to face a third-and-long, allowing players like Gary to get to the quarterback in a passing situation and end a drive right then and there. New England’s offense had 11 drives on Sunday, and plays by Gary were responsible for ending five of them. Not too shabby for just one guy.

Some of the plays Gary makes are big and flashy. There was his pulverization of Brian Hoyer that forced the New England Patriots to turn to Bailey Zappe in the first quarter. And, of course, the trifecta of the sack, forced fumble, and recovery all in one play late in the second on Zappe. Those are the highlight-reel plays, but that only begins to tell the story of Gary’s impact.

At 6’5” and 277 lbs., Gary is blessed not only with the size but the speed to make offensive spacing disappear. You see it as he closes in on the quarterback coming off the edge; in the case of Jarran Reed‘s sack in the fourth quarter, it was Gary forcing Zappe to step up past the pressure that Gary was bringing right into the waiting arms of Reed for a nine-yard loss.

One of the reasons that Bill Belichick is the greatest NFL coach of all time is his ability to usually take away what an opposing team does best. If Gary is lined up over the right tackle, it certainly wouldn’t be a bad idea to design a run that goes to the left. Belichick and the Patriots brought in extra help on the offensive line with Marcus Cannon as a sort of tight end/hybrid sixth lineman role player. Still, not even that compensated for this sort of speed in chasing down a running back.

Gary isn’t going to be on the field for every defensive snap — the best pass rushers usually aren’t. But his usage has increased year over year, which has been encouraging. After failing to crack 50% of defensive snaps in his first two seasons, Gary is now on the field 76% of the time when Green Bay is on defense. That’s a testament to the coaching staff’s belief that he’s way more than just a pass rusher and can be an effective run-stopper too.

The Packers’ offense is starting to come together, with Matt LaFleur feeling out the balance between riding Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon, finding chunk plays to Allen Lazard and Romeo Doubs, and working on opportunities to incorporate Christian Watson. As that progresses, there will be stretches like the first two quarters on Sunday against New England, where Rodgers was 4/11 for 44 yards and an uncharacteristic pick-six. The offense will certainly find its stride, but there may be a fair share of lulls during which the defense will be called upon to rise to the occasion.

On Sunday, Gary did just that. The secondary was without Jaire Alexander, and Adrian Amos exited the game very early on. Someone needed to step up, not just to make just one play but to continually impact the game. The sacks will come (Tim Harris‘ team record of 19.5 sacks in 1989 just might be in jeopardy). But, more importantly, so will the drive-ending plays Gary continues to make. The type of performance Gary had against New England will help the Packers’ defense be the unit that many forecasted it to be.

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Rashan Gary Is the Real Winner Of the Xavier McKinney Signing

Photo Credit: Wm. Glasheen USA TODAY NETWORK-Wisconsin Apc Pack Vs Patriots 25695 100222wag

There were many smiling faces in Green Bay when Xavier McKinney put pen to paper at 1265 Lombardi Ave. earlier this month, perhaps none bigger than the […]

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