Green Bay Packers Recap vs Seattle/Look Ahead to Atlanta

The Green Bay Packers got their season off to a promising start, defeating the Seattle Seahawks 17-9 at Lambeau Field last Sunday.

While the win in a matchup of two potential playoff teams was, of course, the objective, the Packers’ defensive play was what caught people’s attention.

A year after being torched by numerous passing games, Green Bay’s defense allowed just 225 yards of offense to the Seahawks; only 135 yards through the air. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson completed 14 of 27 passes, was sacked three times and also lost a fumble.

While those numbers give fans hope, let’s not jump the gun on this one. Yes, the Seahawks are a playoff-caliber team. Yes, the Seahawks are Super Bowl contenders. But, their passing game has never been the focal point of their offense. Seattle relies on the run and uses the passing game to compliment it (one of the few NFL teams that use that theme). Also, it was just one week of play. A week two showdown with the Atlanta Falcons and their high-powered offense will give the world a better idea of how much improvement the Packers' secondary has made.

Still, outside a late first half drive and ‘catch-up’ time in the fourth quarter, the Packers’ defense appears better than a season ago. So, what exactly did they do differently to shut down the Seahawks?

For starters, the defense was on the field for just 49 plays, so let’s give credit to the Packers’ offense for controlling the clock and giving the defense plenty of rest on the sidelines.

The Packers played their new ‘nitro’ package for most of the game. Safety Morgan Burnett played every defensive snap, but many of those came near where linebackers typically line up instead of the spot next to the Packers other starting safety, Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. What that allowed was the Packers to have a quicker body near the line of scrimmage to stop the run and hang with running backs or tight ends going out for passes.

Prior to the season, I thought rookie Josh Jones may have played the position that Burnett occupied, but the Packers instead used Kentrell Brice at the normal safety position. In time, Jones could slide into one of those spots; Burnett is a free agent after this season while Jones offers more upside than Brice in the long run.

The Packers other big offseason acquisition, first round draft pick Kevin King, played just six snaps. Fellow cornerback Davon House played all 49 snaps while Quinten Rollins and Damarious Randall played 46 and 40 snaps, respectively.

So, the Packers basically ‘improved’ their defense by moving around some players they already had. It’s crazy what a healthy roster can do for a unit. LaDarius Gunter, the Packers’ top CB for the latter part of last year, only played two snaps and now is a member of the Carolina Panthers after the Packers released him earlier this week. The move shows that the Packers intend to keep this defensive scheme for the remainder of the year.

Another big reason for the secondary having a strong showing in week one was because of the play of Mike Daniels. The defensive lineman finished with seven total tackles, 1 ½ sacks and a forced fumble while playing 38 snaps. The forced fumble set up a Ty Montgomery touchdown run on the next play and gave the Packers their first points in the third quarter.

Outside linebacker Nick Perry also finished with 1 ½ sacks as the Packers’ pass rush put plenty of pressure on Wilson throughout the game. Had the defense played like it did for most of last season, the Packers would be heading to Atlanta with a 0-1 record.

Why would they be 0-1? As I mentioned before, the Packers first points came in the third quarter after the defense set them up just six yards from the end zone. Green Bay did put together another touchdown drive and a drive that led to the field goal to create some breathing room, but for the most part, the offense was shut down. The Packers managed 370 yards but had drives end because of an interception and a number of sacks allowed.

Despite the pressure, QB Aaron Rodgers still threw for 311 yards and a touchdown pass to Jordy Nelson on a free play; Rodgers completed 28 of 42 passes. The Packers o-line needs to get healthy in a hurry as Rodgers took plenty of hits in the opener.

The Packers’ running game did not do much, although the team attempted just 28 rushes (for 84 yards). Montgomery had 54 yards while Rodgers added 21.

Randall Cobb had an impressive showing to lead the Green Bay wideouts, totaling nine receptions for 85 yards. He will continue to see a high number of targets as opposing defenses key in on Nelson and Devante Adams. Nelson recorded seven catches for 79 yards while Adams was held to 47 yards on three receptions. Martellus Bennett and Montgomery added 43 and 39 receiving yards, respectively.

The core of Nelson, Adams, Cobb, Montgomery and Bennett should see a majority of the targets in the passing game while tight end Lance Kendricks and fullback Aaron Ripkowski add threats in the red zone. The return of Geronimo Allison adds another dimension to the Packers offense as the team heads to Atlanta.

Packers/Seahawks highlights

Packers/Falcons Preview

The Falcons are coming off a surprisingly tight 23-17 win over the Chicago Bears as they enter their first game in the new Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Atlanta’s defense needed a sack on fourth-and-goal to stop the Bears from pulling a major upset in the first week of the season.

The Falcons’ defense had trouble slowing down the Bears’ running game, so the Packers will hope Montgomery and company can put up similar numbers this Sunday night. It’s worth noting that Atlanta registered four sacks against a Chicago o-line that ranks among the best in the NFL.

Matt Ryan and the Falcons’ offense moved the ball through the air (321 passing yards) but struggled on the ground (64 yards). Ryan spread the ball around, connecting with six different targets. Julio Jones was held to a modest four catches for 66 yards. Tight end Austin Hooper totaled 128 receiving yards, including a 88-yard touchdown reception in the fourth quarter.

Final Prediction - Atlanta 31, Green Bay 27 I expect this week’s Packer game to have more offensive fireworks than the matchup with the Seahawks. I believe Atlanta will be able to move the ball through the air but struggle running the ball. As healthy as can be, the Packers’ defense will truly be able to show what kind of season they can have using the new ‘nitro’ scheme. With all that said, I see the Falcons opening their new stadium with a tight 31-27 win over the Packers.

Stats from - espn.com; snap counts from footballguys.com

#NFL #GreenBayPackers