After a dominant performance against the run a week ago, the Green Bay Packers’ run defense was shredded by Bijan Robinson and the Atlanta Falcons, which ultimately was a key factor in determining the outcome of Sunday’s contest at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Against the Bears, outside of a few off-script runs by Justin Fields, the Packers limited their rushing attack, holding the Chicago running backs to just over three yards per rush. Green Bay bombarded the Bears’ offensive line with stunts and looked like an explosive unit shooting gaps, along with the defense as a whole doing a good job of swarming to the ball carrier.
Buy Packers TicketsHowever, this unit faced a bigger test this week against Atlanta and could not find an answer for Robinson. The rookie rushed for 124 yards at 6.5 yards per rush. He also totaled 48 yards in the passing game on four receptions as well.
“You guys saw it,” said Matt LaFleur after the game. “They shredded us. Consistently.”
Bijan Robinson is ridiculous 😳 @Bijan5Robinson
📺: #GBvsATL on FOX
📱: Stream on #NFLPlus https://t.co/FhXtx7w3wW pic.twitter.com/9H7xPJt9a1— NFL (@NFL) September 17, 2023
Not only were there wide-open running lanes for Robinson to take advantage of, but his ability to make defenders miss was on display as well. As a defense, the Packers were able to record only one tackle for loss against Atlanta after totaling seven the week prior.
Early on, it felt like the Falcons were trying to go off-script and throw the Packers a curveball by leaning more on the passing game and trying to have quarterback Desmond Ridder push the ball downfield a bit–two things that Atlanta didn’t do in Week 1. Ultimately, once the Falcons got back to what they do best in the second quarter, which is giving the ball to Robinson, they were at their best and moved the ball much more consistently.
Atlanta’s ability to move the ball on the ground allowed them to control the game. They ran 78 plays to the Packers’ 47 and held the ball for nearly 13 minutes longer, further tiring out an already exhausted Green Bay defensive front. Their effectiveness also opened up opportunities in the passing game for Ridder and the Falcons’ pass catchers.
Conversely, while the Falcons dominated the Green Bay defense in the run game, the Packers offense was again inconsistent in moving the ball on the ground. While they were able to find some running lanes here and there, running to the boundary has been a disaster for the offense this season, and AJ Dillon often hasn’t been able to generate more than three or four yards on a rush attempt–and that’s if things go well.
The Packers’ inconsistency in the run game, and in general on first down, put them behind the sticks and in predictable passing situations, allowing the defense to do the dictating. This is also a LaFleur offense where the passing game builds off of the run game – as we saw on the second touchdown pass to Jayden Reed that began with play-action and ended with Reed in open space – so if that element isn’t there, moving the ball through the air becomes more difficult.
“We just have to do a better job of getting the drive started,” said Jordan Love. “That’s the end game for us, if we can’t get the ball started, get the drive started, and end up in third-and-long situations, we let them (the defense) get their packages that they want to get off in third-and-longs, and we just didn’t execute when we were in those situations. We’re just trying to get those positive gains on first and second downs so we don’t get put in that situation.”
For this Packers team, Sunday’s game, specifically the fourth quarter, was a display of uncomplimentary football and the demise it can create.
Obviously, getting David Bakhtiari, Elgton Jenkins, and Aaron Jones back will greatly help, but it’s not as if this offense was performing well in the run game last week against the Bears, either, averaging just 2.9 yards per carry.
Growing pains like the team experienced on Sunday are going to happen this season. It’s a young offense, and as GM Brian Gutekunst has mentioned this offseason, this group has to learn how to win. But with that said, with or without their star players, any consistent success that the Packers offense is going to have this season starts with the run game, an area that early on this season has to improve.
