While it still isn’t a league-terrorizing unit despite the influx of first-round talent, Jeff Hafley’s defense is a clear upgrade for the Green Bay Packers.
Green Bay’s defense is far from perfect. Their lack of proven talent and inside linebacker are particularly notable. Still, Hafley has shown aggressiveness and adaptability with his scheme, which previous regimes sorely lacked.
The shift to a base 4-3 after years of 3-4 and sub-packages created a major shift, and only now are we seeing players adjust to it. Even some of Green Bay’s best and highest-paid defenders took time to adjust, not producing at the level we’re accustomed to seeing.
One of those players was Kenny Clark, who hadn’t been as impactful as he’s been in the past. Clark is one of Green Bay’s longest-tenured and hardest-working players, despite his tender age of 29, leading to some frustration from the fanbase.
But Green Bay’s pass rush is pressuring quarterbacks much better since the Preston Smith trade, and Clark is heating up, coming off his best game of the season in Detroit. Clark is finding his footing at a good time. The Packers need their veteran trench warrior for their postseason push, and the Seattle Seahawks’ leaky offensive line offers a tantalizing treat for the young king to feast upon.
The Packers didn’t hold up well against the Detroit Lions’ high-powered offense, including giving up two fourth-down touchdowns. However, they looked good against the run.
Detroit has one of the best offensive lines in the game and a fearsome rushing attack. Running backs Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are known as “Sonic and Knuckles.” However, Clark and the Green Bay’s defensive line were Eggman, limiting the duo to only 94 total yards on 29 carries.
Clark himself had a powerful third-and-goal stop, but the run defense couldn’t handle the constant short fields, including the game-sealing fourth-and-one that allowed the Lions to milk the clock and kick a game-winning field goal.
Still, Clark was PFF’s highest-graded Packer defended on the night (80.1) thanks to his team-leading six stops. Clark also had a pressure as a pass-rusher.
Clark and the Packers will face a different kind of test Sunday night against Seattle.
Where the Lions have one of the league’s best offensive lines and a well-balanced attack, Seattle is a pass-happy team with a line that struggles with pass protection.
Geno Smith has a talented trio of wide receivers and one of the league’s highest pass rates. Only Joe Burrow has thrown the ball more than Smith.
PFF has given the Seahawks the 23rd-ranked pass-blocking grade, making them an exploitable group even with Green Bay’s lackluster pass rush. Even their best player, left tackle Charles Cross, has allowed the second-most pressures among qualifying offensive tackles this season.
With a leaky line and a fairly traditional offense without much trickery, Smith is one of the most-sacked quarterbacks this season. His 40 sacks trail only Caleb Williams and C.J. Stroud (and he’s tied with Sam Darnold). Smith also has double-digit interceptions facing pressure, the highest amount this season.
Meanwhile, Green Bay’s push rush is improving, generating 35 pressure over the past two weeks. Lukas Van Ness has been playing his best ball, Rashan Gary is starting to light up, and even Quay Walker has done some good things when blitzing. It’s not an elite attack, but it’s been gathering steam.
It’s a matchup ripe for exploitation, and Clark can take advantage of the weak interior to wreak some havoc. Clark has only one sack on the season, which is his lowest since his rookie year. Smith could be the matchup he needs.
But it’s not all about the passing game. Seattle has two good running backs, Kenneth Walker III and Zach Charbonnet. But Seattle’s line is even worse in run blocking than pass blocking, with the 27th-ranked run-blocking grade. Despite their talent, the Seahawks’ rushers average only 4.1 yards per attempt.
After facing strong rushing attacks in the San Francisco 49ers, Miami Dolphins, and Detroit, Clark is well-prepared to work as a run-stopper against Seattle’s line.
The Packers-Seahawks matchup could be a playoff preview, with Green Bay likely to face the three-seeded NFC team come postseason. On paper, this is a good matchup for the Packers. But they have struggled to win in Seattle, and it wouldn’t be the first time Green Bay’s pass rush couldn’t get home against a sack-prone quarterback. Tommy DeVito dodged the Packers’ efforts last season, and just to show it isn’t just a Joe Barry stat, the pass rush struggled getting to Caleb Williams this season.
So, having Kenny Clark perform at his usual high level against a potential playoff team in a favorable matchup would bode well for this week and the rest of the season. While it doesn’t completely seal the deal, a victory over Seattle pretty much confirms that the Packers will play postseason football. It’s the perfect time for one of their most highly regarded players to come alive.
