‘Everyone Has a Voice’ in Barry’s Defensive Game Plan

The Packers' defensive game plan for Sunday night against the Lions will be a collaborative effort, just like it was for facing the Vikings' Justin Jefferson last week.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Jan 5, 2023 10:04 PM EST

In this story:

Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Jaire Alexander wanted Justin Jefferson.

He got him, with Alexander’s dominant performance spearheading the Green Bay Packers’ blowout victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

A no-brainer decision? Probably. But the genesis of it started early in the week with defensive coordinator Joe Barry and secondary coach Jerry Gray talking to Alexander and fellow cornerback Rasul Douglas.

“I think any time you do those things, you’ve got get the players’ feel,” Barry said on Thursday, having long since turned the page to Sunday’s showdown against the Detroit Lions with a spot in the NFC playoffs on the line.

“I think comfort is the wrong word because [the way] both those guys are wired. We reached out to them early in the week. Coach Gray does a great job overall, but especially in situations like that, just talking to the player, getting the player’s feel, getting their approach and then obviously streamlining it into the game plan.”

With Alexander and Douglas playing elite-level football, Jefferson caught 1-of-5 passes for 15 yards and Thielen caught 1-of-4 passes for 16 yards. Combined, they had 220 yards in the first game – 184 yards and two scores by Jefferson – but only 31 yards on Sunday.

“Those guys did a heck of a job all week with the plan and then going and executing it,” Barry said.

The level of performance has been much higher of late, with Green Bay on a four-game winning streak.

What changed?

“We’re getting turnovers,” Douglas said with a straight face that he could only hold for a moment before laughing.

OK, smart aleck, why has Green Bay forced 12 turnovers the last four games after creating only 12 in the first dozen games?

“Just getting after the quarterback and being locked in,” Douglas said. “I think Joe B. has done a good job with the game plan and how we attack the week.”

Speaking about an hour before Barry, Douglas also talked about how the players are part of the game-planning process. It’s Barry’s show but everyone has a seat.

“It’s all of us. It’s all of us. Everyone has a voice and we’re all just explaining to each other what we see on different things,” Douglas said.

“It’s good because we’re playing the game, so we see it different than how they see it,” he added. “We always come together and talk it out and it works like that.”

Barry echoed those thoughts.

“It can’t just be, ‘Hey, this is what we’re doing. Let’s go.’ I’m a firm believer, those guys are out there. Those guys are the guys experiencing it.”

While it’s accurate to say the Packers will go as far as quarterback Aaron Rodgers can take them, it’s also true that Green Bay’s defense, as a whole, and the secondary, in particular, will be just as responsible.

On Sunday night, it’s Detroit’s Jared Goff, who is seventh in passer rating and fourth in touchdowns. Philadelphia’s Jalen Hurts (third in passer rating), Dallas’ Dak Prescott (eighth in rating) and a rematch against Minnesota’s Kirk Cousins are possibilities if the Packers reach the playoffs.

“I think our players, they’re never out of line or vigilante, but I think they feel that they can always at least come to us with their ideas and their thoughts,” Barry said, noting the approach with Alexander and Douglas wasn’t unique to last week. “I think it’s important from a player to coach or coach to player that you’ve got to have that collaboration. As a coach, you’ve got to be able to say, ‘No, this is what we’re doing. I appreciate your thought, I appreciate your input, but this is the direction we’re going.’

“You have to be able [to listen] they have to feel that and see that and trust that as the player to be able to say, ‘You know what? I went to Joe B. or Coach Gray or Coach (Jerry) Montgomery and I said something and they listened and they agreed. I think when you have that, then collaboration leads to great things.”