Green Bay Packers show immediate growth against run

By Keegan Matheson | Sep 21, 2015

The Green Bay Packers didn’t shock the world by squeaking past the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday Night Football, it’s just how they did it. After getting gashed by Matt Forte in week one and losing inside linebacker Sam Barrington, the Green Bay Packers matched up terribly against Marshawn Lynch and the Seattle Seahawks. On paper.

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Sunday’s surprise performance against the run was made possible by two players going above and beyond while the supporting cast did something that’s been uncommon in Green Bay: they played steady, fundamental tackling defense. Nose tackle B.J. Raji was the first player to tilt the balance, and he wasted little time.

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Seattle’s offensive line is a rare weakness on a talent-rich roster, and Raji took advantage of this during the Seahawks first possession. On two of Lynch’s first three carries, Raji was able to create immediate backfield penetration and force Lynch to change direction with very little momentum. While the penetration did not persist throughout the game, Raji remained stout at the point of attack while occupying multiple blockers.

When the pressure from Green Bay’s front line did force Lynch to seek out a cut-back lane, the linebacking corps played the run very well, setting their edges much better than in week one. Lesson learned, perhaps. Safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix was a standout, too, as he hovered near the line of scrimmage for much of the game.

Clinton-Dix has all the necessary tools to be a great run-stopping safety, but has often been caught making overaggressive lunges with his eyes staring straight at the ground. The second-year man finished the game with seven solo tackles and two assists, helping to stack up Lynch at the line several times and limiting to a game-long run of 11 yards.

Nick Perry also got his name in the broadcast more than once, a shocker for the former first round pick, while Mike Neal played some strong complimentary defense alongside Clay Matthews and Julius Peppers. The lack of over-pursuit from the edges was huge for Green Bay, as it’s difficult for a running back to succeed when they’re in front of you.

Now, this is a one-week sample. One that should be viewed as a blip on the radar until the Packers can stack these performances together, and week three brings a great challenge in the Kansas City Chiefs.

Stopping Lynch, an elite power back, is a different battle than stopping a runner like Jamaal Charles. Cutback lanes will be more dangerous against a runner with the short-area quickness of Charles, and his style could again expose the Packers’ tackling in the open field.

Russell Wilson certainly took advantage of the open field on Sunday, rushing 10 times for 78 yards. That’s a problem. This stat line may be a necessary evil when focusing the front seven so primarily on Lynch, though. Alex Smith shouldn’t lose anyone sleep ahead of Monday Night Football, but they’ll have a challenging opportunity to prove that this defensive change is sustainable.

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