The Green Bay Packers offense has had its ups and downs this season, as evidenced by the fact it is ranked 20th in points (21.4) and 18th in yards per game (331.6) as well as 17th in expected points added per play (0.010). One area that has consistently yielded positive results so far, however, has been its deep game.
No team in the NFL has had more explosive plays in the passing game than the Packers, who have had 33 plays of 20-plus yards so far this season. Quarterback Jordan Love, meanwhile, is tied
for the league lead with 17 completions of 20-plus air yards, and tied for third in average depth of target (9.8).
The New England Patriots therefore know what’s in store this Sunday.
“This team lives off of taking shots,” said safety Kevin Byard. “They’re an explosive-play team, a vertical-passing team. So, this will be a huge challenge for us as a defense. Obviously trying to be sticky in coverage, but also when we are playing zone, making sure we’re getting back in our zones, making sure we’re actually forcing those checkdowns. And sometimes I think in this game we’re going to have to accept the four- or five-yard checkdowns and not allowing the ball to get thrown over our head.”
Through eight games this year, the Patriots defense has been uneven stopping the big passing play. In total, the unit has surrendered 25 of them — 10th-worst in the league.
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Staying on the average so far could yield catastrophic results against a team like the Packers, that has specialized in taking the top off of defenses. Green Bay has been able to do so in large part due to its top wide receiver duo, Christian Watson and Matthew Golden.
Watson is leading the team with 708 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 42 catches, an average of 16.9 yards per reception. Golden has caught 43 passes for 619 yards, four scores, and 14.4 yards per catch. Together, they have been responsible for 54 of Green Bay’s 97 passing first downs this year.
“These receivers are explosive, especially Watson and Golden. That’s a nasty duo there about taking the top off,” said defensive coordinator Zak Kuhr.
“Christian Watson may be the fastest receiver in the league; he’s always a big play threat anytime he touches the ball,” added Byard. “But also Matthew Golden — he is a second-year player — has a lot of juice. He’s building a really good rapport. I know he’s dropped some passes and stuff like that, but he’s getting open. He’s creating separation.”
Drops have indeed been a problem for the Packers, with Golden leading the league with nine of them this year. In total, Green Bay’s pass catchers have let 23 passes go through their hands. What this goes to show, however, is that the team’s potential for big plays has been even greater than the eventual statistics shows.
A lot of that is not just due to the receiving talent, but the quarterback himself.
“I think he’s one of the most underrated quarterbacks in this league,” said Byard about Jordan Love. “He doesn’t get put into the top-10 lists sometimes, but he’s very efficient. He’s leading the league in passing yards right now. He’s having a career year. A lot of it is because of those deep ball shots.”
“He hunts explosives,” said Kuhr. “They can meticulously drive down the field and sometimes that’s what it’s got to be, but we have to try to limit those 20-plus-yard plays, and they are really good at it. He’s really good at it. He throws a great deep ball. … We have to do our best to try to defend that in more than just one way. We can’t just be, ‘Hey, we’re going to pressure him and make it get off quick, and we’re not covering as long.‘ And it’s also, ‘Hey, we can’t just sit back forever.‘ We have to be able to mix it up a little bit.”
The Patriots’ defensive success on Sunday might depend on their ability to do just that.
