8 Days Until Training Camp: Third-Down Pressure

Green Bay's third-down pass rush was feeble, so perhaps some credit should go to defensive coordinator Joe Barry.

Rashan Gary sacks Brian Hoyer on third down vs. the Patriots. (Photo by Wm. Glasheen/USA Today Sports Images)

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Philadelphia Eagles, who won the NFC last season, led the NFL with 32 sacks on third down. The Green Bay Packers, who fell a win short of the NFC playoffs, finished last in the NFL with eight sacks on third down.

With eight days until the first practice of training camp, finding a way to turn up the heat needs to be at the forefront of defensive coordinator Joe Barry’s mind.

The third-down pass rush went from bad to worse the minute star outside linebacker Rashan Gary went down with a torn ACL. He had four third-down sacks in the first six games. After he was injured in Week 9 at Detroit, the Packers had just two third-down sacks the rest of the season and only one over the final six games.

Obviously, getting Gary back from the knee injury will provide a lift. So, too, could the presence of first-round draft pick Lukas Van Ness. More playing time for 2022 first-round pick Devonte Wyatt could be a boost, as well.

“The sacks are the things that get talked about all the time,” Barry said during an answer about Wyatt, “but just to be an all-around, disruptive player. He has that ability, he has that quickness, he has that athleticism. So, just to be a disruptive force, obviously in the passing game, but the run game, as well.”

While Barry is an easy target for critics, due in part to his Charmin-soft run defense and sometimes-curious coverage approaches, he deserves credit for cobbling together a winning third-down defense without having a winning third-down pass rush.

The Packers finished eighth with an opponent conversation rate of 37.6 percent. That’s the third-lowest rate since they won the Super Bowl in 2010.

If Green Bay can crank up the heat on opposing quarterbacks, it would play straight into the hands of its ballhawking secondary. The Packers finished third with seven interceptions on third down. Moreover, they were the only team better than plus-1 in interceptions (seven) vs. touchdown passes allowed (four).

Third-down sacks are an issue the offense must address, too. Green Bay gave up 18, 12th-most in the league and making it minus-10 offense vs. defense. Only three quarterbacks went down more than Aaron Rodgers. A strong offensive line should help, as should Jordan Love’s mobility so long as it becomes the blessing of escape-ability vs. the curse of holding onto the ball too long via indecision.

Countdown to Packers Training Camp

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One-score games were the theme of Aaron Rodgers' debut season in 2008 and will be key for Jordan Love in 2023.https://t.co/O7VtUxi5WK

— Bill Huber (@BillHuberNFL) July 17, 2023

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