USATSI_19517416 — The Packers couldn't stop the Eagles in 2022. (Photo by Eric Hartline/USA Today Sports Images)

7 Days Until Training Camp: A Missed-Tackles Surprise

With seven days until the first practice of Packers training camp, our countdown rolls on with a surprising look at missed tackles.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jul 19, 2023 10:44 AM EDT

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – When the Green Bay Packers allowed 363 rushing yards in an embarrassing loss at the Philadelphia Eagles last season, they missed an appalling 22 tackles by the coaches’ count.

That game became the lasting impression of Green Bay’s ability, or inability, to handle one of the most important skills in the sport. However, if you thought the Packers were among the worst-tackling teams in the NFL last season, you’d be wrong.

Actually, and surprisingly, you’d be very wrong.

By the count of Pro Football Focus, the Packers missed 121 tackles last season. That works out to about seven per game. Building upon that will be a key when the Packers open training camp in seven days.

By PFF’s missed-tackle count, the Packers were the 11th-best tackling team in the NFL and were only two misses outside the Top 10. Even a decent game against the Eagles would have had them approaching the Top 5.

Teaching tackling is tricky. For better or worse, the days of live tackling in training camp are over. Tackling is an absolutely critical part of the game. There’s no doubt about that. So is the health of running back Aaron Jones.

It’s the risk vs. the reward. The reward for live tackling on the practice field is, presumably, better tackling on the game field. The risk is an important player sustaining a significant and easily preventable injury on the practice field.

“You don’t tackle live at any point during the year other than the games that you play,” Barry said a few days after the Philadelphia game, “so we try to create those scenarios as best we can, try to create drills that are as realistic [as possible], but you can’t create anything realistic to tackling Jalen Hurts until you’ve got to go tackle him.”

By position groups and based on 50 percent playing time, Preston Smith had the fifth-highest missed-tackle rate among edge defenders and Darnell Savage had the fourth-highest rate among safeties, according to PFF.

“We’ve got to do a better job in tackling and playing a physical brand of football,” defensive backs coach Ryan Downard said of Savage. “That’s not only at the point of contact, that’s also taking on blocks.”

On the other hand, De’Vondre Campbell was No. 1 among linebackers in 2021; he missed only one during the final five games of 2022 upon returning from a knee injury. Jonathan Owens was No. 21 in 2022 among safeties; the man he might replace, Adrian Amos, was 18th.

“Actually, tackling was my least favorite thing to do,” Owens, who had a breakout 2022 season with the Texans, said during OTAs. “I used to play offense but, honestly, going into the NFL, that was my biggest focus point with myself was I want to be considered one of the best tacklers in the NFL and I want that to be my niche. Obviously, ball skills will be a thing, where I didn’t have any interceptions last year, but they can’t say I didn’t come and tackle.”

While the Packers likely won’t do live tackling during training camp, it’s taught in some form or fashion every day on the practice field, whether it’s wrapping up a rolling doughnut-shaped pad or making sure everyone is taking the proper angle. Pursuit is important, too, so there’s another defender in position if one defender misses.

While the techniques are important, perhaps nothing is more important than the desire to play with physicality and run to the football.

“It’s just a focus, man. It’s a want-to,” Owens said. “Just come in and have great technique. You practice. You watch a lot of film. You watch a lot of guys who come in and make great tackles and just try to see what they do good, see what they didn’t do too well, angles. It’s a lot that goes into it, but film study really helps. You see guys that make great tackles. You see what they did well.”