When the calendar was known, this was undoubtedly one of the opportunities in which a fall was expected. However, the season showed that that was completely changed. The big reason for that turnaround is the snags Green Bay’s offense is having. For that reason, this duel could be very beneficial for the defense.
Ground defense vs. ground offensive
This is the main weapon that the Packers have, as strange as it may sound with the quarterback they have. We’ll talk about their receivers later, but the departure of DaVante Adams left running backs as the best options for yardage. In particular because they have a complementary pair.
The most dangerous in this way is obviously Aaron Jones. Its characteristics allow it to be very efficient running the ball, although it is as dangerous in the air as it is on the ground. Especially near the diagonals because of the confidence that Aaron Rodgers has in him. Adding physical power between tackles is a tough running back to bring down in AJ Dillon.
Tests on Packers’ RB Aaron Jones’ ankle today came back negative and, according to a source, “(Jones) should be able to play this week.”
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 7, 2022
But another big problem arose in the loss on the road to the Detroit Lions. That thing is that Jones had to go out with an ankle injury when he was still a long way from the game. If they took him out of the lineup despite losing, it means that he may not be 100%. The RB himself acknowledged that he felt pain when he cooled down, so that situation will have to be followed.
It is true that Dallas has a point to continue improving in this area. The Bears rushed for 240 yards in a figure that should set off some alarm bells on the staff. Much of that contribution, however, was Justin Fields’ tremendous athletic ability. In this case, logically, there will be no such threat from the other side. With the extra days that Dan Quinn had to plan this matchup, there will surely be some growth in this important facet.
Air defense vs. aerial offensive
One of the stories of the entire offseason in the NFL was the group of Packers wide receivers after the departure of their star. Adams is no longer on Green Bay’s roster, but discussions continue over the impossibility of replacing him. You can’t expect to replace the best in his position that easily or in a short time. Although the production of this unit by air is far from even something reliable.
The statistics place him in the middle of the league. Averaging 224.7 yards per game, they rank 15th. That number is unreal for a franchise that has the MVP winner of the last two seasons in Rodgers. However, the actual production is even worse than that because many of those yards came in desperate situations of being behind on the scoreboard.
First career pick for the first round pick❗️#GBvsDET | ???? FOX pic.twitter.com/8lA5YloRIj
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 6, 2022
An element that proves the difficulty they are going through is the percentage of series that end with a score. According to Pro Football Reference, they have just 27.1% there which leaves them second to last in the NFL. In this variable, the lack of reliability of the offense as a whole can be noted, the essential reason being the shortcomings in the aerial attack.
The receivers are not performing as expected by the board. Many of them are newbies who are just adjusting to another level, so it’s not fair to load everything on them. But it is clear that they are not the only ones responsible. Rodgers is possibly the one who started it all by having poor performances. The three interceptions he had last Sunday were all in the red zone off very bad throws.
That combination of factors makes the defense go to Green Bay with total confidence. The cornerbacks are targeting Allen Lazard, although the ceiling of him gives the feeling of being WR2. In turn, they have injury problems in various elements. Lazard, Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs all carry some physical theme. Add to that left tackle David Bakhtiari as someone who isn’t fit, and it wouldn’t be uncommon to see another dominant afternoon.
