Green Bay Packers: 5 Takeaways from Week 1 win over Vikings
By Joe Kipp
5. Run defense is still a major issue
The Packers front office did nothing this past offseason to address the issues surrounding the team’s run defense. Last season, Green Bay was one of the worst team’s against the run, which was showcased in the NFC Championship game against the San Francisco 49ers when Raheem Mostert rattled off 220 yards.
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That trend continued against the Vikings on Sunday afternoon. Minnesota running backs totaled exactly 100 rushing yards on just 18 carries. Star runner Dalvin Cook finished the game with two rushing touchdowns and 50 yards. It didn’t help that Green Bay’s best run defender, nose tackle Kenny Clark, exited the game in the first half with a groin injury.
The good news is that Green Bay led for most of the game, which meant the Vikings were in comeback mode and needed to pass to get back in the game. Minnesota also held the ball for less than 19 minutes of possession, a testament to Packers coach Matt LaFleur’s game plan and play calling.
Going forward, Green Bay will undoubtedly need to fix their issues if they want to be a complete defense. They were fortunate to play with a lead for most of the game, which allowed them to play prevent defense the entire second half.