Titans game offers the Packers a big opportunity to get back on track in a struggling area
When you have two high-priced edge rushers, one of them a former first-round pick, and another first-rounder on the bench, it’s fair to expect prolific production from your pass rush. But that’s not exactly what the Green Bay Packers have gotten out of Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and Kingsley Enagbare. Through two […]
When you have two high-priced edge rushers, one of them a former first-round pick, and another first-rounder on the bench, it’s fair to expect prolific production from your pass rush. But that’s not exactly what the Green Bay Packers have gotten out of Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Lukas Van Ness, and Kingsley Enagbare.
Through two weeks, the Packers are 29th in pass rush win rate. And for starters, that projected order is not even what the field has shown. Enagbare, a fifth-round pick in 2022, outsnapped Van Ness in both games, and even Preston Smith against the Indianapolis Colts.
However, the next game versus the Tennessee Titans is a good test to see if the first two games were an outlier or if it really is time to press the panic button. Because the Packers faced Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley prioritized setting the edge to avoid opposing quarterbacks escaping the pocket. Even though Will Levis is a decently mobile quarterback, it’s a different level of rushing ability.
But more than that, the Titans have been a disaster in pass block. It’s time for the Packers to take advantage, or the lack of pass rush juice will become a real concern.
Over the first two weeks of the regular season, Will Levis was pressured in 53.4% of the dropbacks. It’s this wild. Nobody else in the NFL has allowed a pressure in more than 43.2% of the dropbacks, and only three other teams (Chicago Bears, Pittsburgh Steelers, Cleveland Browns) are over 40%.
Something might be Levis himself holding the ball too long, but the offensive line has been extremely poor. Right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere allowed 13 pressures in 35 pass-blocking snaps against the New York Jets last Sunday, and the 37.1% pressure rate allowed is the worst single-game number since Next Gen Stats started tracking it in 2018. Petit-Frere is expected to block (or try to block) Rashan Gary.
Petit-Frere is the worst tackle in football in pressures allowed, but he is not the only problem of the offensive line.
Left guard Peter Skoronski and right guard guard Dillon Radunz are both in the bottom six among guards, and rookie left tackle JC Latham is still a below average starter. Center Lloyd Cushenberry is probably the best part of the line, and this is not a place where you want to live in.
It has to get better
Over the first two weeks, Rashan Gary and Preston Smith are near the bottom of the league in pressure rate among edge rushers. Lukas Van Ness is better in non-disruptive plays, which means he’s proportionally generating more pressures, but it’s not enough to really affect the game.
The pressure from edge players hasn't been any good to start the season. Rashan Gary had three in the first two games, and his 6% pressure rate is well below the 15.6% mark he had in 2023.
Preston Smith is at 4% (down from 10.73% last year), and Kingsley Enagbare is at 0% (down from 11.59% last year). The best in pressure rate is Lukas Van Ness, at 8%. But his number is still down from what he had in 2023 (9.89%), and he is just the fourth defensive end on the depth chart.
Especially if Jordan Love is still out (or even limited), the defense has to step up. And philosophically, the best way for a Jeff Hafley unit to do it is generating pressure. Against the Titans, this will be a must.
Former first-round pick has been a huge disappointment for the Packers to start the season
Quay Walker has had awful tackling numbers in 2024
