Packers relive a familiar nightmare as concerning trend returns in preseason debut loss to Steelers
Keisean Nixon’s tackling effort against Steelers resurfaces familiar concern for Packers entering contract year.
The Green Bay Packers saw a familiar problem resurface in their preseason opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and it centered on cornerback Keisean Nixon’s tackling effort. The 28-9 loss featured several concerning moments, but Nixon’s lack of effort on a specific play stood out for all the wrong reasons.
Steelers rookie receiver Germie Bernard caught the ball on the left side of the defense, and Nixon’s attempt to bring him down was poor. Kítan Oladapo also failed to make the tackle, but Nixon barely tried. That distinction matters because this is not a new issue for the Packers cornerback.
Playoff echoes
Nixon’s tackling was a topic of conversation during the offseason after an infamous play against the Chicago Bears in the playoffs, in which he also barely tried to make what would be a potentially touchdown-saving tackle.
His performance against Pittsburgh did nothing to silence those criticisms. The preseason debut was supposed to be a fresh start, but instead it reinforced the same concerns that followed him into the summer. Green Bay coach Matt LaFleur addressed the team’s overall performance after the loss, even though he wouldn’t make individual criticisms.
“A lot of things that we need to clean up moving forward, but I was pleased with the effort,” LaFleur said. “We just got to execute a little bit better and find ways to take the ball away and not give up as many explosive plays as we did.”
LaFleur also acknowledged that the preseason format naturally limits what coaches can install schematically.
“In fairness to our guys, there’s not a ton of game planning,” LaFleur added. “You’re playing pretty base calls when you go out there, so gotta take a look at it and see where the breakdowns were, see what concepts they’re running against us.”
Effort, not scheme
The scheme explanation provides context for some of the defensive breakdowns the Packers allowed against Pittsburgh, and that’s what LaFleur was mostly talking about. But Nixon’s tackling issue falls outside that conversation entirely. For a player entering a contract year with his starting spot potentially in jeopardy, that’s particularly troubling.
Nixon remained on the field after several veteran starters had already exited, playing opposite rookie cornerback Brandon Cisse. Both left the field at the same time. A veteran player secure in his starting role would have likely played one defensive series and then been done for the night, but that wasn’t the case.
Cisse, Benjamin St-Juste, and Carrington Valentine (once he returns from injury) all represent competition for that starting spot. Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon’s scheme demands that his cornerbacks contribute as tacklers, and the preseason opener illustrated the gap between Nixon and Cisse in particular.
The rookie delivered a strong tackle to prevent a touchdown in the first quarter against Pittsburgh. That type of play is exactly what Gannon needs from his corners, and it’s the type of play Nixon failed to make on the Bernard reception. The Packers have options at the position, and the preseason opener made Nixon’s situation grow a little more uncomfortable.
