Packers’ recent stretch proves how vital it is to get key player back from injury to reach elite form again
Defensive tackle became a significant issue for Green Bay.
The moment that Devonte Wyatt left the field against the Dallas Cowboys two weeks ago with a knee injury, the defense changed. Without their top defensive tackle, the Green Bay Packers have been much different, and it’s certainly not a coincidence.
The defense allowed 40 points to the Cowboys after Wyatt left, and the performance in the second half versus the Cincinnati Bengals also created some reasons for concern. The lack of interior push is not the only problem, but it’s one that’s making everything else weaker.
Wyatt’s impact is undeniable
The Packers’ defense has been much better and more efficient with Wyatt on the field, and the splits make it clear. According to Sumer Sports, the Packers allow a -0.016 EPA/play with Wyatt, and it jumps to +0.022 when he’s not. That means the defense is still good anyway, but it’s a material difference. Moreover, the defensive success rate goes down from 59.4% to 56.1% when Wyatt is not available.
Right now, the Packers’ defense is 16th in EPA/play and 13th in success rate in the NFL, via RBSDM. After those first three games where Wyatt played, the unit was third in EPA/play and second in success rate. The sample size is still small, so every game will have a major impact, but the difference between the performance when Wyatt is available or not is massive.
Positive expectation
Even though Devonte Wyatt didn’t practice last week and missed the Bengals game on Sunday, at least the Packers did not place him on injured reserve. So he’s “week-to-week,” as head coach Matt LaFleur said, but presumably he will return from his knee injury before missing four games.
After trading Kenny Clark as part of the Micah Parsons move and losing TJ Slaton in free agency, the Packers are heavily relying on Devonte Wyatt along the interior. The team picked up his fifth-year option, so he’s already under contract through 2026. Without him, the team had to count on rotational pieces like Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden, plus rookies Nazir Stackhouse and Warren Brinson.
The good news is that the sequence of opposing offenses isn’t inspiring, and the Packers will have time to get their defensive structure back on track while Wyatt recovers.
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