No Excuses Left for Packers Defensive Coordinator Joe Barry
“We’re going to have to do something different, because it’s insane to do the same things over and over again and expect a different result,”
Those were Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur's words after the defense was trounced in a 34-20 loss to the Detroit Lions.
His strong words came after the Packers were gashed for more than 200 rushing yards for the second time in three weeks.
The players and coaching staff might have talked a big game about stopping the run this offseason, but their words have continued to ring hollow.
That should not be a surprise. Bad run defense has been the norm since Brian Gutekunst took over as general manager.
Since the start of the 2018 seasons, the Packers are 32nd in the NFL in EPA per play defending the run. They've finished 31st or 32nd in Football Outsiders DVOA in two of those seasons.
One of the most humiliating things that can happen in a football game at any level is the opposing team being able to run the football successfully when the whole world knows that is what's coming.
That's been the norm in Green Bay.
In the 2019 NFC Championship Game, everyone knew the San Francisco 49ers were going to run the football. Presumably, the Packers did, as well. That didn't seem to matter. Raheem Mostert ran for 220 yards and four touchdowns, and the 49ers rolled 37-20 behind 285 rushing yards and just eight passing attempts.
That game is not an outlier.
The defense gave up 363 rushing yards to the Philadelphia Eagles less than a calendar year ago.That was one of seven games of 150-plus rushing yards allowed.
This season has been more of the same.
If the Packers were caught by surprise that the Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions wanted to run the ball, there are much larger issues at play.
Falcons coach Arthur Smith came from the same lineage as LaFleur. His team is built around its wide-zone run scheme. It spent a top-10 pick on a running back to bolster what already was a top rushing attack.
Lions coach Dan Campbell talked about biting kneecaps in his opening press conference.
Both coaches want their team to embody physicality.
When the Packers have faced teams like that, more often than not, they've wilted.
"Yeah, I believe we are,” LaFleur said when asked if his team was physical enough.
“Now, we’ve got to do it. It’s one thing to sit here and talk about. You’ve got to go do it. When you do get beat like we did – we got outcoached, we got outplayed – it just kind of comes with the territory."
LaFleur is right. It is one thing to talk about it. The Packers have to do it.
The Packers have talked enough. They've talked about changing schemes. They've talked about changing mindsets.
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The Packers' run defense has continued to struggle
Tork Mason - USA Today
Those things might help a little, but when the same issues continue to plague them, it's hard to believe anything is going to change.
Defensive coordinator Joe Barry said during Monday’s media availability that everything is on the table to fix a run defense that ranks 30th in rushing yards allowed per game and 25th in yards allowed per carry.
“It’s not one thing,” Barry said. “It’s one thing on this play, it’s another thing on this play, so it’s a number of things.”
That's a tough look for a defensive coordinator whose unit has been asked to carry the team while the offense finds its way.
In addition, it's about the phase of the defense it allegedly spent the offseason working to fix.
Barry has been under fire essentially since he was hired to be the defensive coordinator in 2021.
LaFleur reportedly tried to hire then-University of Wisconsin defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard. With Leonhard's background as a Wisconsin native and former Badgers star, that would have been a popular choice among the fanbase.
When Leonhard said no, the two finalists were Barry and Ejiro Evero.
Evero guided the Broncos to a top-10 defense a year ago, according to defensive DVOA.
Barry's defenses have never sniffed the top 20.
Barry may not be on the field to make the plays, but the results speak for themselves.
The reality is that the Packers' defense is not any better than it was when they replaced Mike Pettine with Barry after a loss in the 2020 NFC Championship Game.
With LaFleur's public callout, and the pressure mounting on a defense that continues to regress, Barry is running out of chances.
When LaFleur said he was bringing his coaching staff back after a disappointing 8-9 season, it was somewhat surprising.
Typically, a team that underachieves is met with change. This Packers team was not.
What's on deck for the Packers' defense is an offense that has struggled to move the ball at all.
The Las Vegas Raiders are 32nd in the NFL in EPA per rush. Josh Jacobs, the reigning NFL rushing champion, is averaging 2.7 yards per carry and has yet to tally more than 62 yards in a game this season.
Their passing offense isn't much better. Jimmy Garoppolo missed Sunday's game with a concussion.
If he does not clear protocol, they'll be facing a backup quarterback behind a leaky offensive line that allowed Khalil Mack to rack up six sacks in Sunday's 24-17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers.
Regardless of who starts at quarterback for the Raiders, they're likely to emphasize the run game.
The Packers should anticipate that, as well.
After Thursday's embarrassment, if the Packers aren't able to stop the worst rushing attack in football, it's fair to wonder if they ever will.
"I think anytime that you go out there and you can’t effectively run the football,” said LaFleur, “and conversely can’t stop the run, that’s a recipe for losing football."
For what feels like the last decade, the Packers' inability to stop the run has caused them to cook up too much losing football.
"We can and will play better run defense." Barry said.
For his sake, his words better not enter the hall of fame of false promises.
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