Niners Game Clarifies Draft Needs
Weaknesses became clear in playoff loss.
By KenLass
I went back and re-studied the Green Bay Packers loss to the 49ers in the divisional round of the playoffs last January. I was hoping to gain a little more insight as to what the Packers need in the coming draft to be able to take the next step and beat a team like San Francisco in the post season.
First impression after revisiting that game: it’s easy to see why general manager Brian Gutekunst placed a priority on improving at the safety position. The lack of a quality safety really hurt Green Bay in this critical contest. If you were surprised the team let Darnell Savage walk, you wouldn’t be after watching this tape.
Savage dropped a potential interception thrown right into his hands in the first quarter. It might well have been a pick six, which would have given Green Bay an early 10-0 lead. Then Savage was late to the ball on a completion to Jauan Jennings, and allowed George Kittle to run past him on a 32 yard touchdown pass. In the third quarter Christian McCaffery ran through Savage on his way to a 39 yard score.
Jonathan Owens didn’t fare much better. Kittle brushed him off like a fly off a horse on a short pass that ruptured into a 23 yard gain. On McCaffery’s five yard, game winning touchdown run, Owens had a clean shot at the ball carrier in the gap, but offered only a meek bump that the Niners back ignored on his way across the goal line.
Anthony Johnson was a non-factor on his snaps. Clearly, the addition of Xavier McKinney addresses much of the need at this position, but the Packers should draft at least one, if not two solid safety prospects to upgrade this unit.
Another thing that jumped out from this game was the inability of the linebackers to cover across the middle. Brock Purdy made a living off of hitting Jennings, Kittle and McCaffery on short crossers. Quay Walker looked lost at times and seemed misused in coverage. It will be interesting to see if new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley uses Walker more as a pass rusher than a dropback cover man in his new system. Ditto for Preston Smith, who was often late to the ball on short passes and then struggled to make tackles in space. There is a need in this draft for linebacker/safety hybrid types who can run, cover and tackle in the short zones.
The offensive line held up pretty well in this game. Jordan Love was not sacked, although several pressures forced incompletions that contributed to Green Bay getting just two field goals out of three trips to the red zone in the first half. It was interesting to note that Sean Rhyan continued to alternate with Jon Runyan at right guard, but in the fourth quarter, with the game on the line, the coaches kept Runyan in the game on all drives.
Could this indicate the coaches don’t have enough confidence in Rhyan to take over this coming season as the full time starter? At the very least, the Packers figure to draft competition for Rhyan and perhaps for center Josh Myers as well. Zach Tom was having a solid game at right tackle before leaving with an injury in the second half. Yosh Nijman did okay in his place, but Nijman is now a Carolina Panther. It’s a good draft for tackles, and Green Bay needs one not only for depth, but to push Rasheed Walker on the other side.
Christian Watson kind of disappeared in this game. He had just two targets and one catch for eleven yards. In a draft class loaded once again at the receiver position, would the Packers select a deep ball threat with an eye to moving on from Watson after this year? Especially if he continues to struggle with injuries?
Really though, when you finish watching this game, you shake your head and wonder how the Packers lost this thing. With 8:32 remaining in the game, they had the ball with a first and five at the San Francisco 32 yard line, leading 21-17. You’d have to like your chances in that situation.
A missed 41 yard field goal, a pass rush that couldn’t get home in the clutch, and a very bad decision by Jordan Love to throw late over the middle, did them in.
Yet, when I turned off the TV, I couldn’t help but feel this team is getting close to greatness. One more good draft could push them to a season that ends up Super.
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Ken Lass is a former Green Bay television sports anchor and 43 year media veteran, a lifelong Packers fan, and a shareholder.
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Comments (31)
Coldworld
April 12, 2024 at 12:30 pm
The over the middle issue was a constant through Barry’s time and an issue before. We never found the answer under Pettine and Barry. Hafley looks like the approach will be different. Not merely less zone than the last 2 years or off coverage, but a different approach in terms of alignment and responsibilities.
Leaving aside the front 7, it certainly looks like the slot is now almost a “Small Safety” position. I’ve always looked as slots as being not necessarily fast in long terms, but agile coverage specialists. Yet now we have Nixon and I think Germon Green.
The salient things about both is that they are very willing to tackle for a corner and play a part in the run game and have excellent burst. What neither have is good short area ability: 3 cone or shuttle (Green is fractionally better).
Maybe I’m reading too much into this. What types they select at S and ILB may shed some light, but I don’t see the approach over the middle being very similar to Barry’s or Pettine, beyond the lesser use of 2 deep formations.
Hafley has stressed run play for his slots. He’s said the same of his SS preferences, less surprisingly. Good or bad, out first major change was his hire. The second was getting the best true deep FS in the league last year. Now we need to see what the ILB and S classes looks like as well as any slot type additions before the tea leaves get any clearer.
Cheezehead72
April 12, 2024 at 01:55 pm
The key to the pass defense is to get a good rush from the front four. They do not have to get to the QB they just need to disrupt and hurry the QB. That leaves the three LBs to protect the middle and the edges. This is also important being as we will have a single high safety.
That rush from the front four also helps in stopping the run because it frees up the LBs to make the tackles. We need at least one of these four to require a double team.
jannesbjornson
April 12, 2024 at 02:07 pm
They better get there before 2.7 seconds expires, because the ball is coming out fast in the New Offenses.
Packer_Fan
April 12, 2024 at 12:35 pm
Ken, you got the right players. Savage for one played a really poor game. But you miss the impact of the coaches. For sure Lafluer could have done some things better. And for sure, the game when in doubt, Barry had no answer to the SF offense. SF had figured out what worked against Barry and they were able to score a TD, I wish Love had checked down on the last interception to Jones. Outcome could have changed. Last years team had a chance to win the Super Bowl.
So Barry is gone. Love has one more chance to improve his late game heroics. Learning more to make checkdowns and such.
I see the biggest needs in the draft is C-G, LB and S. These players I hope will not be pure developmental, but actually push competition for starting jobs. I expect Gute to pick up some cheap S and LB players for depth.
golfpacker1
April 12, 2024 at 01:01 pm
" I expect Gute to pick up some cheap S and LB players for depth." Like Isaiah Simmons would have been for $2 million before he signed again with the Giants?
signed,
Missed The Boat on FA LBs
LLCHESTY
April 12, 2024 at 01:37 pm
Sounds like someone needs a Simmons Giants jersey! You have to be over 20 comments on him.
golfpacker1
April 12, 2024 at 02:15 pm
No LL, he was just a cheap, talented, upgrade, LB option that we passed over just like we passed over all the FA LBs this year. He was about the only option left to us and he is better than what we have now. I would have really liked a Simmons Packers jersey though. We all have players we like and comment a lot on them. You are included in this group LL. And I don't mean that as a slam either.
We really needed a FA LB, even one on a 2 year deal, to take the pressure off who and where we draft one.
splitpea1
April 12, 2024 at 12:48 pm
LOL, regarding the title of the article and the defense, which one? We've had problems with San Fran going back to the terrible 2012 playoff loss, and usually one of the main culprits has been the run defense. Although we seem to have gotten a little better at matching up with them physically and not getting shredded on the ground as badly, there's still plenty of room for improvement. More competent and sure tackling defenders at all three levels, regardless of scheme, are needed if we're ever going to beat this team in the playoffs... Having a strong physical/offensive team like the Lions in the division will make for good practice.
Bitternotsour
April 12, 2024 at 12:53 pm
I still have nightmares about Clay Matthews crashing down on the tackle as Kaepernick pulled the ball back from the running back and sprinted around a clearly befuddled Matthews. Time after fucking time, crashing down.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
April 12, 2024 at 01:03 pm
so spot on Split and glad you reference past year's games against 49's.
WestCoastPackerBacker
April 12, 2024 at 12:51 pm
Of course they needed an upgrade at safety. When they went into the season with the '23 group, that's when I realized Gutey didn't have high expectations for the season overall. I didn't think he'd move forward with an underperforming first rounder, a couple of journeymen, a rookie late rounder and a guy who should have only played ST. I think they just didn't have cap flexibility to do any better than what they did and it sure looked like a rebuilding year vs a year that GB was so close to the NFC Championship game. And the group held up in some ways, but the SF game either exposed the players' flaws or Barry's flaws or both.
Either way, McKinney is a major upgrade as will be whomever they put at SS, with a hoped-for overall upgrade in defensive strategy.
KnockTheSnotOutOfYou
April 12, 2024 at 01:06 pm
I am fully expecting Gutey to likely surprise many posters on CCTV as he always does come the next few weeks but similarly, I am expecting Gutey to once again hit a home run for the GBP's. This team is heading to greatness! Us Packer fans are going to be enjoying the next number of years with this young talented team Gutey has assembled.
golfpacker1
April 12, 2024 at 01:15 pm
At least at Safety we are on the right track with the McKinney signing. We should make the Safety position group another team strength with 2 through the draft and another FA.
The tackling issues will be solved by Hafley, by better coaching/teaching and better DBs in general.
The "Dumpster Fire" that was the Free Agent LB market was a self-inflicted nightmare, with no apparent offers made to anyone. At least not any reported offers or even meeting with players, which normally leaks out.
There has been some reporting that maybe the Packers are more satisfied than everyone is thinking, in regards to what they have in house already. Wow, I sure hope not, because the LB group is the weakest group on the team at this point. With special teams kicking, and OL depth #2 and #3.
It was a step in the right direction at least when we drafted Quay. It would have been a better step if Devin Lloyd was the pick. We are painted into a corner at this point for 2024. Hopefully Gute doesn't wait past #41 to pull the trigger and we choose the right one. We need a difference maker like SF has multiple of.
Coldworld
April 12, 2024 at 01:26 pm
The Packers could have preferred to supplement via the draft over paying for what was out there. We do not, of course, know if the Packers were in on any ILB trades and we generally don’t find out. Overall, I think there is enough talent out there to get better through the draft.
crayzpackfan
April 12, 2024 at 02:10 pm
I heard they were at least considering Jewell. That would have been cool for me. He's from my hometown. I watched many of his HS games as well as college.
GregC
April 12, 2024 at 08:08 pm
Yeah, I've heard those reports that the Packers are pretty happy with their current LB group. This has to be either a smokescreen or a complete fabrication by someone. A decent free agent LB would've been nice, but I am going to withhold judgment until after the draft. Remember what our TE room looked like before last year's draft.
jannesbjornson
April 12, 2024 at 02:02 pm
Nice Job, Ken. Pile Driver hitting spike. Yes, the deep vacuum, or Black Hole which was the Packer's middle. Safeties afraid to tackle in a Playoff Game was the proverbial Straw for Gutey. I have now mocked three safeties, three LBs and Three O lineman, minimum, as the basic ingredients for this draft. Never wanted Savage drafted over Montez Sweat andgiving up Two, four picks to make the move. The cherry topping the Pink Squirrel was extending him with the 5th. Devin Lloyd over Walker for a reason. Moving on. Still need the Run plugger on the D line.
Oppy
April 12, 2024 at 05:13 pm
Agree on the 5th year option pick up. That was a completely mystifying move. You can count the times Savaged flashed big-time potential on one hand in 4 years. He was never able to put it together.
TKWorldWide
April 12, 2024 at 06:13 pm
Three linemen?
jannesbjornson
April 12, 2024 at 07:28 pm
Absolutely, maybe more.
TKWorldWide
April 13, 2024 at 07:12 am
I think 3 would be the max. Gotta allow for some value picks to fall to GB as well at positions of lesser vacancy too.
jannesbjornson
April 13, 2024 at 09:14 am
Protect the Fort. Keep Love standing, or the gems mean nothing.
TKWorldWide
April 13, 2024 at 03:40 pm
Winter is coming.
Leatherhead
April 12, 2024 at 02:19 pm
I would say that if you take the youngest team in playoff history, and lose to the Conference Champion by 3 points, when you had the ball and enough time on the clock at the end to win or tie.......you don't have a lot of draft needs.
Every team has weaknesses, but the teams at the top have strong enough strengths to overcome this.
dobber
April 13, 2024 at 10:05 am
The thing about the off-season--or potentially week to week in season--is that the team that just finished the season doesn't exist anymore. The Packers let a lot of bodies walk...two starting S, a starting LB, RB, and RG. A couple guys who logged a lot of snaps (Deguara, Owens, etc.). Several depth pieces.
We can talk about draft needs in terms of the team fielded in 2023 and what it couldn't do, or we can talk about them in terms of 2024 and beyond and what you'd like to be able to do. That's the perspective I'd like to take.
TKWorldWide
April 12, 2024 at 03:29 pm
I do not want to see Preston Smith in coverage.
Oppy
April 13, 2024 at 05:17 am
You would have to assume that Preston and Gary are likely going to be asked to bulk up a bit and play DE in a 4-3 scheme.. I hope.
TKWorldWide
April 13, 2024 at 07:09 am
Yes, defensive ends for sure! But not sure either one has to bulk up at all.Gary 277 and Smith 265 seems big enough to me.
dobber
April 13, 2024 at 10:08 am
I wouldn't be too terribly surprised if he's playing some SAM on early downs.
Alberta_Packer
April 12, 2024 at 09:05 pm
A little low-hanging fruit - but how about a playoff Kicker? 3 Kickers are already penciled-in for this off-season competition. However they all seem to have the same floor. Perhaps using another late-round pick - or signing an UDFA - to add more quality competition at training camp?
GeorgeRipley
April 13, 2024 at 05:10 am
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