React and Attack: A Football Blog

      Matt LaFleur needs to call more runs! Why did we resign Aaron Jones just to not use him? Dillon is averaging 5 yards a carry! Feed them the ball!     I've heard the calls from Packers fans. I'm sure you have too. Maybe you've been advocating for a heavier dose of the running game yourself. Honestly, I understand it. The offense of the 2021 Green Bay Packers has struggled at multiple points throughout this season. It's frustrating to watch an offense that was so explosive and efficient last year stall out and punt. AJ Dillon and Aaron Jones are both likable, effective, dynamic players. It sure seems like an infusion of the run would help solve some of the offense's woes, mitigate the effects of a pieced-together offensive line, and protect Aaron Rodgers.       However, I'm not sure it's that simple. I think that the problems that have prevented the Packers offense from reaching the heights that it did in 2020 are more complicated, and I hope that I can

        School and work kept me pretty busy this week, but a few nights ago I was finally able to get around to evaluating the All-22 of the Bengals vs. Packers game. As I watched, one of the most striking aspects of the game was how much pressure Green Bay was able to apply to Joe Burrow. They were able to get to Burrow using blitzes, stunts, simulated pressures, and by simply winning one-on-ones. It wasn't just the starters who were able to succeed, either. As Joe Barry rotated in his backups at EDGE and along the defensive line, those players were able to continue making Burrow uncomfortable. Obviously, they did not play to the level of Preston Smith, Kenny Clark, Rashan Gary, or the other studs on the Packers defense, but they were able to do well enough to gum up the operation of the Bengals offense. Although I usually review a single blitz or pressure call for my weekly article, I've decided to make an exception this time around. There were multiple plays from the backups

          Hey everyone! My "Ride the Lightning" blitz-analysis series is back after a few weeks' hiatus. In the first article  in the series, I took a look at a blitz the Packers ran in their exhibition match against the Buffalo Bills. Since then, the Packers have had a bit of an up-and-down start to the regular season. After getting curb-stomped by the New Orleans Saints in Week 1, they were able to bounce back with a win against the Lions in Week 2. Green Bay extended their nascent winning streak in Week 3 with a thrilling last-second victory against the San Francisco 49ers.          An important key to the Packers' victory was their ability to get pressure on defense. The first few weeks were lackluster in this department, but against the 49ers Green Bay was finally able to get to the quarterback on a fairly regular basis, racking up 4 sacks and 11 QB hits . Although an excellent game from Kenny Clark, Preston Smith, and Rashan Gary was certainly a key factor to th

            Well, that was rough.       What seemed like a favorable matchup against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday quickly turned into a rout for the Green Bay Packers. Aside from a few decent punts and a field goal from Mason Crosby, the game was a disaster. The Packers defense allowed 38 points against a depleted Saints offense, and even when they managed to get a stop, the Packers offense failed to produce almost anything of value.     When I was able to get ahold of the All-22 tape from the game and began reviewing the defensive performance, I didn't expect to see many positives. Like many Packers fans, I was disgusted by the defense's inability to stop the Saints on the ground or in the air. There were several coverage breakdowns, and the defense failed to get consistent pressure on Jameis Winston. My early hopes for Joe Barry's iteration of the Packers defense were quickly fading.     However, when I finished watching the tape earlier this week, I was surprised. Th

     Before we get started, I wanted to give a brief explanation about the origin of this article. Recently, I had been tossing around the idea of a semi-regular article series breaking down some aspect of each week's defensive performance. I had also been wanting to explore a blitz that the Packers called against the Bills during the final preseason game. A few days ago, these concepts coalesced into what you see before you. With the "Ride the Lightning" series, I'm planning to take a look at the different blitzes that the Packers run throughout the season. Ideally, I'd like to do this almost every week, but that may depend on what blitzes the Packers run each week, how interesting those playcalls are, and how much time I have between college and work.     As for the name? That came to me almost immediately after I had the idea for the article series. "Blitz" is German for "lightning," and as an avid Metallica fan, the association with their f

     When the news first broke that Jordan Love had sustained a shoulder injury during his promising preseason debut against the Texans, I was hopeful that he wouldn't be sidelined for long. The postgame messaging from him and his coaches seemed optimistic. As the week went on, however, that hope proved to be short-lived. As most Packers fans will know, Love was forced to sit out the team's joint practices with the New York Jets, as well as the subsequent preseason game. This was disappointing on several levels. As a fan, seeing Love play is much more compelling than watching Kurt Benkert and Jake Dolegala. I don't mean any disrespect to those quarterbacks; I'm a big fan of Benkert. However, Jordan Love's play has potentially huge implications for the future of the franchise. With higher stakes come higher levels of interest.      More importantly, every preseason snap is valuable to a developing quarterback like Jordan. If all goes well during the regular season, h