Matt LaFleur unleashes frustration on Packers' run defense woes
Run defense problems are nothing new for the Green Bay Packers. They are 32nd in EPA per rush since Matt LaFleur took over the head coach in 2019. On Sunday, the chronic issue was the main reason for another loss, 23-19 to the Pittsburgh Steelers. After the game, LaFleur admitted the defensive performance was not […]
Run defense problems are nothing new for the Green Bay Packers. They are 32nd in EPA per rush since Matt LaFleur took over the head coach in 2019. On Sunday, the chronic issue was the main reason for another loss, 23-19 to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
After the game, LaFleur admitted the defensive performance was not good enough and that their plan didn't work.
"A lot of missed tackles, we knew they would try to run the football. They executed better than we did," LaFleur said. "We had a lot of calls designed to stop the run, and they were still gashing us. So it's certainly not good enough."
The Packers were coming from two decent performances against the run. Combining weeks 8 and 9, the team was fifth in rush EPA. But that happened mostly because the Minnesota Vikings are one of the worst run offenses in the league, and because the Los Angeles Rams played with Brett Rypien at quarterback, which allowed the Packers to focus on stopping the run without any consequences.
Against the Steelers, who aren't a great run offense either, the Packers allowed 205 rushing yards. This was just the third time this season in which Najee Harris had more than five yards per carry — 16 attempts for 82 yards. Backup Jaylen Warren was even better, with 101 yards on 15 runs (6.7 per carry). Each of them scored a touchdown. Quarterback Kenny Pickett had only 126 passing yards, but the Steelers basically didn't need to pass much.
"You can't give up 200 rushing yards in this league and expect to win football games," LaFleur concluded.
Strategy
It's true, but there isn't any news on that front. The Green Bay Packers philosophically prioritizes limiting big pass plays instead of stopping the run, even against average quarterbacks.
Generically, it's a smart approach. But when the run defense is so bad, the team never gets in position to truly make impactful plays rushing the passer, and the secondary is also in bad circumstances more frequently.
Matt LaFleur talked about the run defense multiple times after games during this year. The results are the same, though, and it doesn't seem like anything significant will change throughout the regular season.
How can the Packers improve their run defense during the season?
Green Bay has been bad stopping the run, and it’s hard to get better during the season
