The Green Bay Packers head back on the road Sunday to face the Tennessee Titans. One key matchup in this game will be the Packers pass rush led by Rashan Gary against the offensive line of the Tennessee Titans. This will be a big test for Rashan Gary and the Packers pass rush which has yet to live up to expectations through the first two games of the season.

Big Test for Rashan Gary and the Packers Pass Rush: The First Two Games

The Packers made major changes to their defense this offseason. Jeff Hafley replaced Joe Barry as defensive coordinator. Hafley installed a more aggressive defense with a four-man front.

In the first two games of the season, Hafley wasn’t able to play the typical aggressive defense he wanted to play. The Packers were facing two mobile quarterbacks who could gain substantial yardage with their legs in addition to their arms. So, Hafley and the defense had to scale back their usual aggressive approach to rushing Jalen Hurts and Anthony Richardson so they could contain that duo and keep them from scrambling for key yards.

The Packers did accomplish that goal for the most part in the first two games. Hurts didn’t do much damage as a runner and Richardson only did some late in the game when the clock was running down, and the Colts were desperate.

Hafley gave his players credit for containing those mobile quarterbacks. “I credit the D-line for that too, because I think you have to be really disciplined to keep a guy like that in the pocket when he’s not rolling around off schedule and running the ball for 20 yards at a pop,” he told reporters.

The Packers did manage three sacks in those two games, but still have not gotten as much pressure on the quarterback as they expected before the season started.

The Titans Offensive Line

This week against Tennessee, the situation will be different. First, Titans quarterback Will Levis does not have the mobility that Hurts and Richardson possess. Levis can elude the rush, but he’s not a threat to hurt the opposition on a big run like the last two are.

The Titans also have a struggling offensive line. In two games, Levis has already been sacked seven times and he’s lost two fumbles.

The biggest vulnerability along the line is right tackle Nicholas Petite-Frere. Last week against the New York Jets, Petite-Frere was consistently beaten by the defensive line, allowing the Jets to disrupt Revis’ attempts to throw the football.

According to Pro Football Focus, Petite-Frere has already permitted 11 quarterback pressures in 77 pass protection plays this season. That ranks him last in the NFL. Last week, he allowed seven hurries, one quarterback hit and one sack.

There are other favorable matchups across the offensive line as well. The Packers defense has blitzed just 20 percent of the time through two games. However, the Titans poor pass blocking may make sending additional rushers unnecessary.

Big Test for Rashan Gary and the Packers Pass Rush: The Matchup

The biggest beneficiary of the Titans struggling offensive line should be Gary. The former Michigan star led the Packers last season with nine sacks. He accomplished that despite returning in less than one year from knee surgery that caused him to miss the second half of the 2022 season.

This year, Gary has just one sack thus far and has not put consistent pressure on opposing quarterbacks. He does have two quarterback hits and three pressures according to pro-football-reference.com. He has made three total tackles including one tackle for loss.

But it will Gary who will be lining up opposite Petite-Frere on most plays. Stunts and blitzes can further help free up Gary, Preston Smith, Kingsley Enagbare, Kenny Clark, Karl Brooks, and Lukas Van Ness.

This will also be a big opportunity for Clark to have a bounce back game going up against the interior of the Titans offensive line which is also not highly regarded.

Week 3 may be the ideal time for the Packers pass rush to show what they can do. It will be the first time this season they are not making pre-game adjustments for a dangerous running quarterback. Their success will be a critical component of Jeff Hafley’s defense and a key to the Packers success on Sunday.

 

 

 

Follow Gil Martin on Twitter @GilPackers

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