The Packers defense is more important to success this year than the offense. Yes, I know, offense is what puts up points but points could be hard to come by this season. The Green Bay Packers, for the first time in thirty-one years, is gonna have a different starting quarterback other than Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers for week one. This can cause things to start slowly for the offense.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are things the Packers offense can do to have early success like what is detailed in PackersTalk Mike Price’s “How the Packers’ Offense Can Focus on Layups and 3s“, but it still could start slowly.
The defense can’t afford to start slowly. Not like last year.
Last season, the Packers defense started out way too inconsistent. They needed to help win games early on and they didn’t. After letting up 40 against the Eagles, the defense finally figured it out but it was a little too late.
This same thing can’t happen this year or the season will already be a wash. The Packers are projected to have eight first round picks start this season. The defense is loaded with talent and everybody on defense has proven it at one point in the past. They just have to go out and do it consistently. The defense also has to be put into position to have success. Consistency and play calling were both questionable last year.
If the Packers and Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry have learned from their mistakes from last year, then the defense should have a fast start. They for sure will need to have one. The offense isn’t going to have a fast start. The team will need to give Jordan Love and the offense some time to figure each other out. This will require the defense to shoulder most of the responsibility for the early games.
And they should have success. The Packers have talent on the defensive line. Rashan Gary should come back somewhat early on. (The Packers could play it safe with him.) Preston Smith has proven himself at edge. Kenny Clark is a stalwart in the middle of the line. With young talent such as Lucas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Devonte Wyatt to help supplement the others, the line should be good.
If De’Vondre Campbell can return to 2021 form and if the Quay Walker can take a leap, the middle of the field should be just fine. I know those are huge ifs but Campbell has done it before and Walker has an incredibly high ceiling.
At corner, the Packers have a top three cornerback in Jaire Alexander. Eric Stokes looks to be healthy and hopefully can return to the success he had as a rookie. And of course, the Packers have Rasul Douglas who Aaron Rodgers has likened to Charles Woodson intellectually speaking.
The safety position is questionable but if the Packers can figure that position out then this defense has an incredibly high ceiling. They’ll have to come close to that ceiling if they are hoping to make a run into the playoffs.
Jordan Love received some help in the draft on offense. Can he get some help from the defensive side of the ball? He’ll need it if he wants to have a successful first year as a starter for the Green Bay Packers.
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Damon is a diehard, fully-immersed cheesehead who currently lives in southern Missouri. He teaches at a local high school and has a family YouTube channel about all things Packers. You can follow him on twitter at @packersfamily and on YouTube at The Packers Family.
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