Where does the Packer's pass defense really rank?

[Patler]

Kind of odd, looking at the Packer's pass defense:

3rd in total sacks.
8th lowest completion percentage allowed. (This surprised me.)
17th in interceptions.
At least three teams have a worse yds/attempt average than the GB defense.

But GB is dead last (by quite a margin) in yards per game.

Those "explosive" plays that MM has talked about have really, really killed the Packers pass defense. Take just one or two of those away in each game and the pass defense looks totally dfferent. It hasn't been bad every play, every game. It really has been isolated breakdowns that have ruined it. It comes down to a handful of plays every game that have killed the Packer's pass defense.

It also gives hope that some small changes can make a big difference. Wholesale changes are not required.

[pittstang5]

I've been trying to make sense of the Passing defense problems and the best explanation I can come up with is: The Packers have played most of the higher ranking QBs in passing yards. Look at these stats:

Grossman - 1639 yds - ranked 10th
Brees - 1892 yds - ranked 4th
Kitna - 1853 yds - ranked 5th
McNabb - 2312 yds - ranked 1st
Bulger - 1946 yds - ranked 3rd

Harrington and Leinert aren't ranked because they started later in the season. But do you see my point - 5 out of 7 games, GB has played a QB ranked in the top 10 in passing yards.

This week - Losman - 1313 yds - ranked 21st. The Packer D should hold up against Losman.

[falco]

I've been trying to make sense of the Passing defense problems and the best explanation I can come up with is: The Packers have played most of the higher ranking QBs in passing yards. Look at these stats:

Grossman - 1639 yds - ranked 10th
Brees - 1892 yds - ranked 4th
Kitna - 1853 yds - ranked 5th
McNabb - 2312 yds - ranked 1st
Bulger - 1946 yds - ranked 3rd

Harrington and Leinert aren't ranked because they started later in the season. But do you see my point - 5 out of 7 games, GB has played a QB ranked in the top 10 in passing yards.

This week - Losman - 1313 yds - ranked 21st. The Packer D should hold up against Losman.

Maybe they are ranked highest in passing yards because they've played the packers?

[MJZiggy]

Can you get enough passing yards (Harrington excepted) to make that much of a difference in your rankings? I mean we can't be the only team that gives up passing yardage...

[Chester Marcol]

Let's not forget we're 27th in pts allowed, not an entirely defensive passing stat, however we are 3rd to last in TD receptions allowed. Allowing only 6 rushing but 12 receiving TDs.

[pittstang5]

Maybe they are ranked highest in passing yards because they've played the packers?

Well, I'm sure the Packers Pass Defense may have had a little bit to do with that, but for the most part, these quarterbacks are putting up higher yards per game.

[Patler]

Let's not forget we're 27th in pts allowed, not an entirely defensive passing stat, however we are 3rd to last in TD receptions allowed. Allowing only 6 rushing but 12 receiving TDs.

Yeah, and that just goes to the scattered performance of the pass D. Many of those TD passes were the "explosive" plays I mentioned. Again, if they get the isolated breakdowns more in control, the TDs against will also improve.

The part that really intrigued me was the low completion percentage, which should result in a lower yds/attempt stat. But it hasn't for GB, again showing it is the explosive plays that are the culprit.

[Murphy37]

Perhaps this is because of the poor safety play by Manuel and Collins. It is the explosive plays, the deep patterns, that have killed us. On those deep routes, the safeties are responsible for help in coverage, and keeping the play contained and out of the endzone. Thus, it's the poor play of our safeties that has inflated this statistic.

[Patler]

I've been trying to make sense of the Passing defense problems and the best explanation I can come up with is: The Packers have played most of the higher ranking QBs in passing yards. Look at these stats:

Grossman - 1639 yds - ranked 10th
Brees - 1892 yds - ranked 4th
Kitna - 1853 yds - ranked 5th
McNabb - 2312 yds - ranked 1st
Bulger - 1946 yds - ranked 3rd

Harrington and Leinert aren't ranked because they started later in the season. But do you see my point - 5 out of 7 games, GB has played a QB ranked in the top 10 in passing yards.

This week - Losman - 1313 yds - ranked 21st. The Packer D should hold up against Losman.

Interesting! Their seasons average yards per game/yards in GB game look this way:

Grossman 234/262
Brees 270/353
Kitna 262/342
McNabb 289/288
Bulger 278/220

Brees and Kitna were the only ones who significantly exceeded their season yards/game average against GB. Grossman did by a little, McNabb hit his average and Bulger was actually held in checkby the GB defense.

Harrington's 414 yards, which really kills the Packers per game average, is a bit misleading, having come on 62 passing attempts. 414 yards in 62 attempts is 6.6 yards/attempt, which isn't awful.

.

[Patler]

Perhaps this is because of the poor safety play by Manuel and Collins. It is the explosive plays, the deep patterns, that have killed us. On those deep routes, the safeties are responsible for help in coverage, and keeping the play contained and out of the endzone. Thus, it's the poor play of our safeties that has inflated this statistic.

Often, but not always. Carroll was responsible for several, and Dendy had the coverage on one on Sunday. Against the Bears, Harris acknowledged that it was his fault on one that looked bad for Manual.