So far this season, the Green Bay Packers have struggled to find their footing and play a full game of complimentary football. The Steelers game was no different. Just when the offense seemed to figure out their first-half struggles, the defense managed to play one of the worst games of the season. Let’s look at the Packers stack up to the rest of the NFL after week 10.
Green Bay Packers Defense
Oddly, the Packers rank 11th in YPG allowed (320.6 YPG). That puts the Packers between the Saints (312.7 YPG) and the Dolphins (322.4 YPG). I would have expected the Packers to move down in the rankings after the Steelers game, but the Packers continue to excel in one category: Passing yards allowed. The Packers are ranked 7th in passing yards allowed per game(187.6 YPG). Only the Browns, Cowboys, Jets, Ravens, Chiefs, and Panthers allow fewer yards. Even more impressively, they are 2nd in passing touchdowns allowed with eight. Only the Ravens have allowed fewer, with seven touchdowns and ten interceptions.
The Run defense is another story. The Packers are giving up 133 yards per game on the ground, which is 27th in the NFL. Only the Cardinals, Raiders, Bengals, Jets, and Broncos give up more yards on the ground. In total, the Packers have given up 1,197 yards total with one fewer game played than the six teams below them. Only the Broncos have given up more yards on the ground through 9 games.
Jayden Reed
Now that we have covered the bad. Let’s take a look at something positive. Jayden Reed has not only been one of the best rookie receivers for the Packers. He has been one of the best rookie receivers in the entire NFL. Currently, Reed is 7th in total rookie receiving yards with 417. Reed only has 43 targets. Both Jordan Addison and Zay Flowers have roughly 20 more targets each. Reed is also tied for 3rd in rookie TD receptions. Only Jordan Addison (7) and Tank Dell (5) have more receiving touchdowns than Reed.
Reed is also in the top ten in other rookie receiving categories. Reed has the 9th longest reception (46 yards), 8th in YAC (132 yards), 7th in QB rating when targeted (118.1 QB rating), and 8th in yards per route run (1.88 yards). One area both Reed and the entire Packers receiver room could improve is contested catches. Reed is tied for 5th most contested targets for rookie receivers but has only hauled in one of those eight targets. That ranks 23rd among all rookies.
All things considered, Reed has had a tremendous first half of the season with plenty of room to grow and improve in this offense.
Special Teams
In the last few weeks, Rich Bisaccia and the Green Bay Packers special teams have been called into question. I figured it would be a good place to close out this week’s stack-up article. Currently, Keisean Nixon is keeping the return game afloat. With Jayden Reed assuming a more prominent role on offense,, Nixon has been called to step up in both the punt and kick return games. Nixon is the 4th best overall kick returner, according to PFF. Only KaVontae Turpin in Dallas, Ihmir Smith-Marsette of Carolina, Charlie Jones of Cincinnati, and Raheem Blackshear of Carolina rank higher.
Kick coverage has also been a point of contention. Daniel Whelan is 32nd in the NFL in net punt yards with 38.7 yards per punt. Whelan is also 26th in kicks inside the 20-yard line. He has only kicked ten inside the 20-yard line. Whelan is doing a good job getting hang time on the punt. He is ranked 6th with an average hang time of 4.53 seconds. Overall however, Whelan and the punt coverage team are allowing 13.7 yards per punt return. That is 2nd worst in the NFL behind Trenton Gill of the Bears.
Anders Carlson
The Kick return game isn’t any better. Anders Carlson has had 16 total kicks returned for 424 yards. That is the worst in the NFL. The next closest is Tyler Bass of Buffalo, who has had 18 kicks returned for 375 yards. The Packers also rank 8th in Yard per return allowed(28.3 YPK). Anders has also missed two field goals and one extra point this season. Now, that may not seem bad, but all three of those kicks ended up being a significant reason why the Packers lost that week. Anders hasn’t been asked to do a lot this season. He has only attempted 15 field goals, ranking 28th most in the NFL. He has also only attempted 17 extra points, which is tied for 18th.
Special teams, plain and simple need to be better. This Packers team already has enough on their plate without overcoming special teams.
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