It is the year 3053. The last man on earth emerges from his makeshift shelter. He looks at the ruins of the world, and, with his last breath, utters, The Packers’ run defense stinks.
The Green Bay Packers run defense is bad. It’s been bad for years. It shows no signs of not being bad, despite plenty of empty promises. Something needs to change.
Matt LaFleur acknowledged this after last Thursday’s embarrassing loss to the Detroit Lions.
“We’re going to have to do something different,” LaFleur promised, “because it’s insane to do the same things over and over again and expect a different result.”
But Monday’s media availability of LaFleur and DC Joe Barry offered no hard solutions, just more promises.
LaFleur mentioned a change in scheme, like putting a safety into the box. Barry suggested that anything is on the table, and it isn’t just one thing preventing the run defense from finding success. But Barry promised that the group can and will play better.
We’ve heard that before, right?
Most of the fanbase’s solution is to fire Barry, who hasn’t proven to be a successful defensive coordinator in his long career. And while an in-season firing won’t do much good, this team needs to move on from Barry. They should have done so this past offseason.
But will new DC John Defensivecoordinatorson succeed where Barry, or Mike Pettine, or Dom Capers failed? Unlikely. Green Bay’s problem goes beyond the DC and position coaches. It’s a philosophical problem that begins with Brian Gutekunst. Until the Packers make run defense a priority, it will continue to be bad.
Recall how special teams was in a similar place. From Shawn Slocum to Ron Zook under Mike McCarthy to Shawn Mennenga and Mo Drayton under Matt LaFleur, fans wanted the special teams coordinator fired every season, yet each new coach failed to find greater success.
It took Gutekunst and LaFleur realizing they couldn’t keep throwing makeshift bandages on the problem and that they had to rethink their entire approach to the group to finally make meaningful changes. They hired Rich Bisaccia, a respected figure with a history of success, and let his influence change their strategy.
The Packers brought in dedicated special teams players through free agency and the draft rather than throwing in fringe roster players and hoping they executed. They started playing more veteran players on teams to add experience and skill in crucial times. Most importantly, they remade the group’s culture. Bisaccia’s blend of tough love and emphasizing the third phase’s importance created a more cohesive and passionate unit.
Special teams still has its issues, of course. In this young season, the group hasn’t elevated the team the way they should. But the group has largely trended in the right direction and seems to be in good hands. The change in philosophy has worked.
That’s the only way the run defense can be fixed — a philosophical change from Brian Gutekunst.
Since becoming general manager of the Packers in 2018, Green Bay has consistently had a league-bottom run defense. While Gutekunst has spent every first-round pick other than Jordan Love on a defensive player, the defense continues to be woefully mid overall and terrible against the run.
It’s a passing league, and we’re in a time with more exciting young quarterbacks than ever. Theoretically, it makes sense to focus on the passing defense. But that theory has led to Green Bay getting their teeth kicked in by any physical team that runs the ball well.
The Packers can’t neglect the run. A good play-action approach works best, backed up by a good run game. And, defensively, teams are running more two-high safety looks, which are best countered by a good run game. Green Bay needs to evolve, or games like the 2019 NFC Championship or the contest last year where they ceded 363 rushing yards to the Philadelphia Eagles (or this season’s losses to the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions, for that matter) will keep happening.
Former Packers’ interior defensive lineman Mike Daniels suggested a lack of “nastiness” kept his teams from reaching the Super Bowl. It’s better to need to reign someone in than to tell them to pick it up according to Daniels.
That’s the approach the Packers need from their coaches and players, and it’s the type of player Gutekunst must target.
Simply firing Barry isn’t enough. Recall that most of his defensive assistants were the same ones Mike Pettine had. Jerry Montgomery, defensive line and running game coordinator, hasn’t done enough through multiple defensive coordinators.
The blame goes beyond the DC. Matt LaFleur should have cleaned house when bringing in a new scheme. He shouldn’t have stuck with Barry and that staff this season. He and Gutekunst need to decide what identity they want this defense to have. How do they want to play, and how do they want the league to view them? Then LaFleur needs to find the right person to instill that culture, and Gutekunst needs to prioritize bringing in players that exemplify it.
Until the men at the top of the organization decide they’ve had enough and commit to a full rework like they did with special teams, blaming and firing Barry isn’t enough. It’ll take a truly critical look, a commitment to finally fixing the problem, and finding the defensive version of a Rich Bisaccia for any real change to stick.
