Naturally, there is a lot of excitement around the addition of Jeff Hafley as the Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator and the new defense he will be implementing.
However, with any schematic change, there will be a learning curve. Of course, the Packers will spend the next several months trying to make navigating that curve as easy as possible, but as we all know, there’s a big difference between practice and games.
Right out the gate, this new Packers defense is going to be put to the test, having to face Philadelphia and Indianapolis–two offenses with playmakers around their quarterbacks and are able to stress opposing defenses in a variety of ways.
Led by Jalen Hurts, the Eagles’ offense ranked seventh in points per game last season. Even though the Colts were without Anthony Richardson for much of the season, they were still able to rank 11th in points per game under first-year head coach Shane Steichen.
Around Hurts are AJ Brown, DeVonta Smith, and D’Andre Swift. Around Richardson are Michael Pittman, Adonai Mitchell, and Jonathan Taylor. Both teams have very good offensive line units as well.
While, certainly, each of these individual players on their own can create issues for defenses, it’s the ability of both of these offenses to marry the run and passing games that can be a real stressor for opponents.
“To have Anthony and JT back there,” said Colts’ offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter, “JT has an extensive history with a lot of success, leading the league in rushing. Now we’ve got Anthony, where a defense, gosh, there may be that mesh on a run play and it’s JT going left and it’s Anthony going right, and as a defense, how do you defend that?
“You have two really explosive players that maybe have a chance to end up with the ball on a run play, how do you defend all that? It is exciting.”
To counter this, as Matt LaFleur has mentioned, the Packers are going to play with a more vision-based approach on the back end, which in short, means having more eyes on the quarterback and identifying more quickly if it’s a run play, thus getting more defenders to the ball carrier.
Under Hafley, the Packers’ defensive front will be responsible for only one gap, resulting in a more attacking play style. This hopefully results in more immediate penetration into the backfield, disrupting the run or passing play.
Lastly, the Packers have revamped the safety and linebacker positions with versatile, fast, and physical defenders, providing them with more speed and players who are better equipped to handle both the run and pass games.
On paper, the answers to what the Packers could see from the Eagles and Colts’ offenses seem to be there, but going back to the original point, there’s knowing what to do, and then there’s implementing it–especailly when it’s all brand new.
Hafley has been praised by LaFleur as well as former players, including Richard Sherman, for his ability as a teacher to simplify the game plan, so defenders are on the field reacting rather than overthinking. The Eagles and Colts will put that ability to the test right away.
Beyond just the first two games, the Vikings in Week 4 if JJ McCarthy is starting, the Cardinals in Week 6 with Kyler Murray, and the Texans in Week 7 with CJ Stroud could present similar challenges.
