The Green Bay Packers enter their bye week with a 6-3 record, the opposite of their 3-6 mark a year ago. While the record is solid, there are still things Matt LaFleur’s club needs to do better if they hope to contend for the NFC North title or a berth in the Super Bowl. Here are five things the Green Bay Packers need to work on during the bye week:
Five Things the Packers Need to Work On During the Bye Week, Number Five: Run Defense
The Green Bay run defense remains inconsistent. Opposing runners have been able to gain steady chunks of yards against the Packers too often this season.
Last week’s loss to the Lions was an example. The Lions top two running backs, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, both ran for healthy averages against the Green Bay defense. That happened even when the defense knew the Lions would be running the ball to run out the clock. Montgomery, the rough inside runner, averaged 4.3 yards per rush. Gibbs averaged 5.9-yards per carry. The longest run by either player was 18 yards. This means both runners were picking up steady gains.
The Packers need to improve their run defense if they hope to win against tougher opponents in the second half of the season.
Number Four: Pass Rush
The Packers have recorded 22 sacks in nine games. That puts them on pace for 41.5 sacks over 17 games. Last season, they would have ranked 23rd in the NFL.
The problem has been a lack of pass rush from the front four. No player has more than three sacks on the season and no edge rusher has more than 2.5.
Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley had to use unusual blitz packages using linebackers, safeties and even slot corners, to generate pressure.
The Packers just traded Preston Smith to the Steelers at the trade deadline. Now it will be up to Lukas Van Ness, Kingsley Enagbare, Rashan Gary, and Arron Mosby to generate more pass rush than the group did in the first half of the season.
Five Things the Packers Need to Work On During the Bye Week, Number Three: Cut Down on the Interceptions
Packers quarterback Jordan Love is tied for the most interceptions thrown among quarterbacks with 10. Keep in mind, Love missed two full games and part of a third.
Many of the interceptions have come on plays where Love was trying to force the ball downfield or just failed to throw it away when he should have. LaFleur and the coaching staff have to help Love find the balance between being aggressive and being reckless with the football. Love will need to cut down on the number of interceptions he throws in the second half of the season, much like he did a year ago.
Number Two: Red Zone Offense
Statistically, the Packers are ninth in points scored per game and fourth in yards per game. But one area they really need to improve upon is their red zone offense. The Packers are presently 29th in the NFL in touchdown percentage in the red zone with 47.1. Only the Steelers, Cowboys and Giants are below the Packers in the rankings.
Overall, the Packers have made 34 trips to the red zone and have scored 17 touchdowns and 12 field goals.
If the Packers can improve this area in the second half of this season, they can improve their point totals and potentially win more games.
Five Things the Packers Need to Work On During the Bye Week, Number One: Penalties
Through nine games, the Packers have had 67 penalties accepted. This number doesn’t include declined penalties and offsetting penalties.
The penalties have come at the worst possible times, setting the team up for second and third down and long situations on offense. That reduces the role of Josh Jacobs and the running game.
Too many of the penalties are preventable like false starts or illegal formations.
Defensively, the Packers have given away key first downs and allowed other teams to extend drives.
On special teams, penalties have cost the team field position both on offense and defense.
The penalties have caused the Packers to beat themselves. The coaching staff needs to clean this up in the second half of the season to increase the team’s chances of winning games.
Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers
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