The Green Bay Packers defense put in a strong performance for most of the season opener against the Minnesota Vikings, despite giving up a bunch of points late as they had to defend short fields due to turnovers by the offense and a long kickoff return allowed by special teams.
There was plenty to feel good about from Week 1, but how do they match up against the New York Jets in Week 2?
Here are three things to watch as the Packers look to limit Geno Smith and the Jets offense:
Can the Packers generate pressure?
For all the consternation about Green Bay’s ability to stress opposing quarterbacks without Micah Parsons, they did a solid job last week with a 40% pressure rate, which ranked 15th in the NFL.
To create this pressure, Jonathan Gannon was more blitz-heavy than he traditionally
has been. The Packers blitzed 30% of the time against Minnesota, which was up from the 22.2% average of Gannon’s defenses in Arizona and 25% during his final year in Philadelphia. Gannon also sent six or more rushers after the quarterback at a 13.3% clip compared to just 4.4% with the Cardinals and 2.9% with the Eagles previously. In order to get pressure on Smith this week, he may have to be aggressive once again.
The Jets’ offensive line is pretty strong, and Smith was only pressured on around 30% of his dropbacks against the Titans, which was only the 25th-highest rate in the league.
If the Packers send the house, they have to actually get home, but if they can get in Smith’s face, they could have success.
He ranks 48th among 63 qualified quarterbacks against six or more rushers in expected points added (EPA) per play since 2022, and that is after removing his disastrous 2025 season with the Raiders.
Smith is more of an efficient, chain-moving quarterback than a big play threat, and led the league in percentage of his throws between zero and nine yards downfield last week at 66.67%. The Packers need to disrupt the pocket to avoid him paper cutting them to death.
They will not be helped by the fact Javon Hargrave (doubtful) and Lukas Van Ness (questionable) have both been in concussion protocol. Van Ness was their most productive pass rusher in Week 1 with three pressures, including a sack.
Getting pressure on Smith is paramount. If the Packers cannot do it, they could be in for a long day on defense.
New York’s three-tight-end sets
The Jets played 13 personnel (three tight ends) 17.5% of the time last week, which was the fifth highest rate in the league. The Vikings did not play a single snap of it, so the Packers defense will face a different schematic test this week.
On those plays, New York was seventh in EPA per play and fourth in success rate. Whereas many teams deploying multiple tight ends are looking to find explosive pass plays, most of the Jets’ joy came on the ground.
They ran 72.7% of the time out of 13, which was the ninth-highest rate, ranking second in EPA per rush and fourth success rate. Their passing numbers were closer to average.
Deploying heavy sets invites the opponent to play base defense, which the Packers are comfortable in, using it 49.2% of the time, which was the fourth highest rate. The results of their base defense in terms of EPA and success rate were average.
In Gannon’s 3-4 scheme, playing base means using three defensive tackles, and Green Bay are set to be without not only Hargrave, but also Warren Brinson, who is out on Sunday with a calf. Anthony Campbell should see his first regular season action as a result.
This will impact the strength of the D-line, however, Hargrave only played around 32% of run snaps against the Vikings, the lowest of any of the Packers’ defensive tackles, so they may not be hampered too much against the run when they match 13 personnel with base defense.
Along with disrupting Smith’s ability to move the chains, the Packers must stop Breece Hall and Braelon Allen from churning out yards on the ground and wearing the defense out.
Garrett Wilson
Wilson had seven targets for the Jets in Week 1, catching six of them for 79 yards. No other player had more than three targets for New York. Similarly, Justin Jefferson was targeted nine times for the Vikings last week, with no one else having more than four.
It felt like the Packers were holding Jefferson down as much as a defense really can for most of the game, but he still got them for two touchdowns in the end, including a 39-yarder.
He is not on Jefferson’s level, but Wilson is a very good receiver and is the Jets’ biggest threat. Brandon Cisse and Keisean Nixon will be tested once again this week.
It is all well and good limiting these types of players for the most part, but when the money downs arrive and in the big moments, do the Packers have anyone that can prevent him making a key catch to extend a drive or score a touchdown?
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: 3 things on Packers defense vs Jets: Can Green Bay pressure Geno Smith?
