The Green Bay Packers are heading into the 2015 season with high aspirations emanating mostly from a two-time MVP quarterback leading the NFL’s highest scoring offense. However, the Packers’ title hopes may actually rest on the other side of the ball. Fortunately for the Packers this year’s defense has a chance to be special.
Since the bye week last year the Packers’ defense has gotten progressively better. Obviously the move of Clay Matthews to inside linebacker was the biggest catalyst for the improvement, but there were other contributors as well. With Sam Barrington manning the other inside spot and Letroy Guion having a career year at nose tackle, the Packers ended up finishing 15th overall in defense. They finished tenth against the pass and 23rd against the run, after being dead last by a wide margin at the bye.
The defense also played well in the playoffs, holding the Cowboys and Seahawks in check. Only poor special teams and conservative play calling kept the Packers out of the Super Bowl. It certainly wasn’t the defense’s fault. This year the Packers expect the defense to be a force right from the start, and I think they have that capability.
The Packers welcome back nose tackle B.J. Raji, who missed all last season with an arm injury and seems to be a different man. He is focused on getting into the best possible shape he can by eating right and attending yoga classes like many of his teammates have begun doing. With Raji and Guion on the nose and blossoming Mike Daniels on the end, the Packers defensive line should be a force this year.
The secondary is undergoing a major change but one I think is for the better. Departed cornerbacks Tramon Williams and Davon House were OK, but the first was old and the latter always hurt. With the drafting of defensive backs Damarious Randall and Quinten Rollins last May, and the continued development of Ha Ha Clinton-Dix, last year’s number one pick, the secondary is more talented than it has been for years. And that is not even mentioning Micah Hyde and Casey Hayward.
Of course, the defense still revolves around the linebacker position and with offenses having to deal with Matthews at multiple positions it gives the Packers an big advantage. Barrington should continue to improve and if the Packers can get the same contribution this year from Julius Peppers they are going to wreak havoc on opposing quarterbacks.
Put that all together and even with some growing pains in the secondary, this defense is definitely good enough to win a title with. It may not be the 1996 Reggie White unit or even the 2010 team, but it is no longer the liability it was from 2011 to 2013. For all my criticism of Dom Capers during those years he seems to have adjusted to his personnel better and now has even better players to work with.
The Packers don’t need great defense, but very good defense would makes things a lot easier. I think this will be a top ten unit in 2015, making the Packers a hard team to beat.