New Defensive Attitude Delivers ‘Pretty Flawless’ Gameplan

The Green Bay Packers’ veteran cornerbacks are excited about defensive changes that will be unveiled against the New York Jets on Sunday.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Oct 14, 2022 5:44 PM EDT

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Green Bay Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers’ defensive backs are on board with the changes made by coordinator Joe Barry.

“I think with this gameplan we’ve got here, it’s pretty flawless,” cornerback Jaire Alexander said on Friday.

Now, the pressure is on to make it work.

“It’s time to execute now on our end,” Alexander added.

The Packers were stunned 27-22 by the New York Giants last week in London, with embattled and hobbled quarterback Daniel Jones leading the Giants to five consecutive scoring drives. Their high-flying secondary has been shot down repeatedly. The Packers rank last in the NFL in completion percentage allowed and passes defensed – both by considerable margins – a rather amazing fact considering the stature of the players in the secondary.

The long flight home and conversations between coach Matt LaFleur, Barry and the rest of the defensive staff with the Packers’ key defenders culminated in what promises to be a more aggressive approach on Sunday against the New York Jets.

It wasn’t a meeting filled with frank discussion but not fire and brimstone.

“There’s a level of respect that we have for each other — players to coaches, coaches to coaches and player to player,” Alexander said. “So, when you have that level of respect, you should be able to speak how you feel and have a conversation about it, which there was. And moving forward, I think the game plan is really good.”

Barry’s conservative approach worked in the Week 3 victory at Tampa Bay, a defensive masterpiece in which he gambled and won that the Buccaneers’ depleted cast of perimeter weapons would be unable to methodically move the ball. It mostly worked in the overtime victory over New England in Week 4. It didn’t work at all against the Giants. The cornerbacks gave the Giants the proverbial inch; Jones and his receivers took the proverbial mile.

Hence, the belated change in approach.

“You know, you don’t know until you know,” Alexander said. “You won’t know what’s right or what’s wrong until it happens. That’s probably why.”

Through five games, Green Bay has only one interception. At this juncture last year, it had five – and that was before Rasul Douglas arrived and picked off a team-high five passes.

A more aggressive approach is music to Douglas ears.

“I think we’ve got the secondary to do it,” he said.

But not all the time. Don’t expect the Packers to line up in man-to-man coverage snap after snap after snap. Rather, there will be some zone and some man, some press-man and some off-coverage.

“You have to be able to mix and match both of them,” Douglas said. “I know sometimes I like pressing but sometimes I like being off, seeing the quarterback, seeing the receiver. It’s whatever you feel for the game or how the game’s going and what routes you’re seeing.”

The other potential change involves the cornerbacks mentioned in this story. In the three games in which Alexander has been healthy, he and Eric Stokes have played cornerback and Douglas has manned the slot.

That could change, Barry said this week. Alexander has the foot quickness to handle the stereotypical slot receiver and the physicality to handle being so close to the line of scrimmage. Meanwhile, all of Douglas’ interceptions last season came at cornerback.

There’s another potential benefit, too. Douglas said he’s “always” in man coverage when in the slot, even if Alexander and Stokes are in zone. Douglas likes zone and Alexander prefers man. So, if the slot is always going to be in man, that would fit Alexander’s mentality.

Asked if he was frustrated by role, game plans and results, Douglas insisted he was upbeat.

“We’re actually cool with it,” he said. “We know each other. We know how hard each other [prepares], so we already know it’s going to come. We just can’t press it. I think everybody knows how good we can be and everybody sees the names, so it’s like, ‘We expect so much of these guys.’ Right now, it’s not happening but it’s still early. It’s still early. If we come out here and I end the season with eight [interceptions] and Stokes ends with five and Ja ends with six or some shit like that, then what are we talking about? Nothing, right?

“It just hasn’t happened right now but who’s to say it won’t? This could be the game right here where it comes and we get two apiece. So, I don’t think any of us are stressed or frustrated. We’re in a great state and coaches are in a good state, as well. We had this conversation with them and we’re all on the same page now.”