What did the Green Bay Packers do consistently well through the first five games of an up-and-down start to the 2023 season?
Here’s one thing the Packers can lean on coming out of the bye week: Pressure (and sacks) with the preferred four pass-rushers up front on defense.
Per data collected from PFF by Arjun Menon, the Packers are getting pressure with Rashan Gary, Preston Smith, Kenny Clark and Devonte Wyatt at an incredible 52.63 percent clip and getting sacks with the same four on 31.58 percent of snaps with the four rushing together.
The pressure rate ranks third among qualified quartets in the NFL; the sack percentage is first.
Of course, the small sample size caveat applies here: Gary, Smith, Clark and Wyatt have been the four-man rush for the Packers on just 19 snaps through five games.
However, 10 pressures and six sacks on just 19 snaps is still impressive for a pass-rushing group. And a safe assumption can be made that Gary, Smith, Clark and Wyatt will be on the field together more as Gary gets stronger and stronger and is more available as a full-time player.
Gary has been one of the most efficient pass-rushers in football. Wyatt’s athleticism as an interior rusher has made him consistently disruptive. And the use of stunts up front has only made the Packers more difficult to block on obvious passing downs.
The best defenses in the NFL can consistently play seven in coverage and still pressure the quarterback with a four-man rush. While Gary has been a rotational player used mostly in passing situations to start 2023, his usage is going to ramp up and give the Packers more opportunities to operate on defense with Gary, Smith, Clark and Wyatt as the front four.
With a young offense enduring growing pains, the Packers must be consistently dominant on defense. Ranked sixth in pressure percentage overall entering Week 7, the front-four core should ensure the Packers are one of the more consistent pass-rushing defenses throughout the 2023 season.
