On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers will face one of the best deep passing teams in the NFL, and their opponent will be Trevor Lawrence and the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Concealing the Jaguars’ passes will be a top priority for Jeff Hafley’s defense.
Through seven weeks, Lawrence ranks first in the NFL in passes thrown over 20 yards in the air (32) and completed (15), as well as in passing yards (541) and massive throws (9) completed on passes. distance over 20 yards. yards, according to Pro Football Focus.
Lawrence’s preferred deep target was rookie first-round pick Brian Thomas Jr. He connected on 6-of-11 targets for 283 yards (third-most) and two touchdowns on passes thrown over 20 yards, as well as 3-of-3 on contested deep catches. Thomas brings excellent size and speed to the receiver position. His deep catches this season include an 85-yard touchdown.
“We want to maximize @BrianThomas_11we accelerate on the pitch as much as we can.”#GBvsJAX pic.twitter.com/Eq2hokZJBy
—Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) October 24, 2024
Receivers Christian Kirk (four catches, 139 yards) and Gabe Davis (three catches, 65 yards) were also deep targets. And crosser Evan Engram has vertical speed that can be a threat on the pitch, especially now that he’s hearty.
Limiting the deep passing game is a multi-faceted operation. This requires flawless coverage by both cornerbacks and linebackers, as well as disruption on the defensive end so the quarterback doesn’t have time to push the ball downfield.
Sunday could be an exhibition game for the Packers’ rebuilt safety group. Xavier McKinney not only intercepted six passes, but also performed brilliantly on the field, with both one and two catches. The Packers are increasingly relying on rookie safety Evan Williams to play Robin against McKinney’s Batman, and he has proven to be reliable in terms of both aggressive running play and deep half coverage.
BrianThomas Jr. reached a top speed of 30.15 mph on an 85-yard TD reception from Trevor Lawrence, which is the fastest speed by a ball carrier this season and the fastest by a Jaguars ball carrier in the NGS era (since 2016).
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— Next Gen Statistics (@NextGenStats) October 6, 2024
Up front, the Packers are coming off a breathtaking performance against CJ Stroud. A similar performance against Lawrence would facilitate the secondary prevent the massive plays on the field that fueled the Jaguars’ offense.
The Packers cannot underestimate the Jaguars’ offense. An experienced offensive line, two quarterbacks, three unsafe receivers and a tight end coming off a 114-catch season give Lawrence plenty of weapons.
Explosive plays often provide game-changing moments. Can the Packers force Lawrence and the Jaguars to be methodical on Sunday?
