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The Green Bay Packers NEED Elite Talent At Every Level

It’s believed that defense wins championships in football. As far as the Green Bay Packer’s history is concerned, that motif rings true.

BJ RajiThe defenses throughout much of Aaron Rodgers’s tenure were suspect at best and resulted in a lot of unfortunate early exits. The year he won it all, the Packers D was a unitthat involved the likes of Charles Woodson, , Clay Matthews, and the list goes on and on.

While Jordan Love’s expectations are just starting to grow, it won’t be long before he’ll be criticized for not holding a Lombardi trophy. While the Packers can help Love out by getting offensive weapons, they can also assist him on the other side of the ball. New DC Jeff Hafley can learn from Mike McDonald’s outstanding 2023 Ravens defense, as it will be the archetype for defenses moving on out.

To start with, the overall depth of the Raven’s defense was historically great. The Ravens got a lot out of backups such as safety Geno Stone, who had 8 interceptions despite playing limited snaps due to, well, being the backup to franchise player Marcus Williams. Brandon Stephens, who the team drafted as a late-round safety, ended up being one of the highest-graded cornerbacks of the entire 2023 NFL season by publications such as PFF and ESPN.

Once again, these two acclaimed DBs aren’t exactly superstars. They were backups heading into the regular season. The depth the Ravens have in general was nice. In addition to Stone and Stephens, underrated gems such as DTs Travis Jones and Brandon Williams have provided impeccable value.

With that being said, it isn’t just the depth that makes the Raven’s defense so talented. Justin Madubuike, Roquan Smith, and Kyle Hamilton are flat-out elite players who might not be household names but are the best of the best.

And it isn’t just how good they are that matters – it’s where they play that makes the difference.

Madubuike was arguably the best DT in the league last year, alongside the impeccable Chris Jones. It’s a toss-up for who’s been the best ILB over the last couple of years, the 49ers’ Fred Warner or Roquan Smith. Meanwhile, Kyle Hamilton might already be the best safety in the league after just 2 seasons.

January 20, 2024; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Green Bay Packers linebacker De’Vondre Campbell (59) and linebacker Quay Walker (7) and cornerback Jaire Alexander (23) tackle San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) in the during the second quarter in a 2024 NFC divisional round game at Levi’s Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

While Green Bay might not be able to obtain elite talent overnight, they can start building towards something great, and sooner rather than later. Roquan was acquired via trade, and Madubuike was a hidden gem that the Ravens coached up heavily. With the depth the Packers have, and how much youth they seem to always have on that side of the ball, there’s potential for someone elite to be present in all three levels this time next year.

The Baltimore Ravens Relied Heavily On Presnap Confusion – Something New DC Jeff Hafley Has To Utilize

Whether a defense plays man or zone involves the talent the defense has, and who they’re going up against. Therefore, it’s hard to truly emulate McDonald’s philosophy, which was a mixture of man and zone coverages throughout each game. However, what the Packers and Hafley can copy is McDonald’s love of confusing quarterbacks pre-and-post snap, and how it caused a lot of turnovers before the plays even began.

The way Mike McDonald lined linebackers and safeties up before the snap was something that can be described as art. He would like them up everywhere – on the defensive line, in the slot, deep off the ball. It didn’t matter where they should be, or where their assignment was. Anything to make the QB and OL see ghosts.

Part of the reason for all the pre-snap confusion was to make QBs second-guess everything. This resulted in a 4 interception game from one MVP candidate Brock Purdy. The great Dolphins offense also struggled heavily due to the confusion, and it makes sense. Considering that these Shanahan-based offenses utilize pre-snap motion and preparation to a fault, it only makes sense that the defensive counter to that cuts these offenses down like a buzzsaw.

The Lions, despite not having a Shanahan disciple on their staff got gutted by the Ravens, scoring only 3 points in their October matchup. The Vikings do have Kevin O’Connell, who runs the Shanahan motion offense. If the Packers come across the 49ers again in the postseason, they can potentially change their fortune by copying Raven’s magnificent blueprint of confusion.

How Mike McDonald’s Unit Was Able To Lead The League In Sacks Despite Not Having A Household Pass Rusher

But it isn’t just the QB that gets confused. If anything, the main reason for McDonald’s pre-snap confusion is to make the OL uncomfortable and unsettled, allowing them to get owned by the core pass rushers.

What takes it to the next level is when McDonald blitzes or stunts from the second or even third level. Having an ILB standing at the LOS only to drop back into coverage while an edge rusher or slot corner comes around and attacks the confused lineman is a massive pass-rushing advantage.

While the talent the Ravens had certainly played a part, this is why the Ravens were #1 in sacks. Having guys like Madubuike and Clowney generate raw pressure in addition to the confusion McDonald brings has been a nightmare for numerous high-flying offenses. Whether it was the Titan’s measly OL or the elite Lions unit, the Ravens got their pressure and sacks at a historic rate.