Outside of an eight-sack performance against an atrocious Tennessee Titans offensive line, the Green Bay Packers' pass rush has failed to deliver in the opening four games.
Despite all of the Packers' pass-rushing talent, they have made a surprisingly sluggish start to the season, including in the Week 4 loss to the Minnesota Vikings. According to ESPN's Rob Demovsky, Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold only needed to complete one pass outside of the pocket against Green Bay. He had far too much time, and Jeff Hafley's unit rarely forced him to move.
Demovsky added that the Packers rank last in the NFL in ESPN's pass rush win rate metric. Take out the Titans game, and they have rarely generated consistent pressure on quarterbacks.
"It wasn't up to our standard. No doubt about it," said head coach Matt LaFleur regarding the Packers' pass rush.
Rashan Gary is expected to lead the way in pressures and sacks and make life easier for the other edge defenders. He is one of the stars of the defense. However, Gary has been arguably the team's worst pass rusher through four weeks.
Rashan Gary's slow start is becoming a concern for Packers defense
After four games, Gary has the Packers' worst PFF pass rush grade. He made one sack in the season opener against the Philadelphia Eagles but has zero in the past three weeks. Gary hasn't even registered a quarterback hit.
In fact, since Week 14 of 2023, Gary has made one sack, six hits, and 24 hurries, which shows it's not just an issue with the new scheme. For comparison, Detroit Lions edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson has made 16 sacks, 20 hits, and 40 hurries during the same span. Another NFC North pass rusher, Montez Sweat, has seven sacks in that time.
It can't all be blamed on the Packers' scheme, either. Gary struggled in a one-on-one matchup against Vikings tight end Josh Oliver on Sunday.
Green Bay needs better performances from its entire pass rush, but Gary is at the forefront of this unit's success. When he's at his best, opposing offenses have to send extra help his way, creating opportunities for the other pass rushers to land favorable one-on-one matchups.
Jordan Love took responsibility for the Packers' offensive struggles in Week 4, but while he threw three interceptions, the offense still put up 29 points. The defense struggled in the first half, allowing 28 points on Minnesota's opening five possessions. Dealing with injuries in the secondary, Green Bay needed its front seven to deliver. It didn't happen.
Pro Bowl defensive lineman Kenny Clark has also made a quiet start to the season. He had his best game of the year against Minnesota, but Clark is still waiting for his first sack. Gary and Clark have a combined one sack and zero quarterback hits in four games.
Unless the Packers find consistency in the pass rush, they will struggle to win games against great offenses. They need Gary to become the player they expect him to be.
