Do-it-all Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ safety Antoine Winfield Jr. is going to present a unique challenge for the Green Bay Packers offense with his ability to impact the game in a variety of ways.
“He’s an unbelievable player,” said Matt LaFleur. “It doesn’t matter whether he’s playing nickel or he’s the safety, he’s a guy you better account for on every play. He’s a very smart football player. Very instinctive. Very physical, it’s not a shock to me that he’s made the impact he’s made in this league. He’s one of the better safeties in the league.”
You name it and the Bucs’ defense probably asks Winfield to do it, and he’s going to execute at a high level. Winfield has spent the majority of his snaps this season lined up as a traditional safety, but they’ll move him around as well, with 177 snaps coming from the box and 108 from the slot.
In coverage, Winfield has allowed a completion rate of only 57 percent and come away with two interceptions and ranks second in forced incompletions among all safeties. As a blitzer, he ranks fifth in pass rush snap, which includes recording the second-most pressures and the most sacks. Winfield has also been an extremely reliable run defender, ranking first at his position group in PFF’s run defense grade and ranking fourth in run defense tackles.
Regardless of what the play-call is that the Packers have dialed up, they have to know where Winfield is lined up at all times because he will make an impact at all levels of the field and in all phases for a defense.
“He’s really good in the run and pass,” said offensive coordinator Adam Stenavich.” He’s a really instinctual player. Covers well and he’s really physical in the run game. I think he’s a complete safety. One of the better ones we’ve seen this year. You’ve just got to make sure you account for him wherever he’s at. Have an awareness for him. They’ll pressure him a lot. He’s a heck of a player.”
Overall, this has been a Bucs’ defense that has been more than willing to blitz and has been very good against the run this season, allowing just 3.9 yards per rush. In the secondary, they’re giving up the fourth-most yards per pass attempt, but have been excellent in the red zone.
On the back end, this is an aggressive unit that will challenge the Green Bay receivers through physical play. If Jordan Love is indecisive, as LaFleur said he was early on against the Giants, or he and his receivers aren’t on the same page, or there is pressure that gets to him, a player of Winfield’s caliber will often be in the area to capitalize on any mistakes.
“He’s a really good safety,” said Love at his locker on Wednesday. “He does a lot of good things just with coverage recognition and understanding the routes. Then obviously playing off the quarterback’s eyes. He’s a guy that’s a ball hawk, he wants to jump routes and go make plays on the ball. I think he does a really good job. He’s a guy that you’ve got to know where he’s at.
“Obviously do some things where you’re able to look him off. But just knowing where he’s at and knowing what he’s capable of, and being aware of that is huge.”
LaFleur said on Thursday that he did not expect Christian Watson to practice on Friday, putting his status for Sunday’s game very much in jeopardy. Jayden Reed and Dontayvion Wicks are both on the injury report as well, but have practiced and seem to be trending in the right direction.
The running back room is also dealing with unknowns of its own. AJ Dillon is dealing with a broken thumb, while Aaron Jones is still working his way back from an MCL sprain—although he feels good about where he’s at. Even if both players were available this week, whether or not they would be able to handle a full workload remains to be seen.
With the injuries at the running back position, along with Green Bay facing a stout Tampa Bay defensive front that has been very good against the run, the Packers path to success on offense Sunday may have to largely come through the air, and that means dealing with Antoine Winfield, both in coverage and as a blitzer.
