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Jordan Love and the Packers offense can help the defense start forcing turnovers again

The recent success of offenses in the second half against Jeff Hafley's group has raised concerns about the group, but they're poised to break back out with turnovers.

Peter Bukowski's avatar
Peter Bukowski
Oct 17, 2025
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Help the Packers Turn the Ball Over Again. OK, it’s not particularly catchy, and way too big to fit on a hat, but that’s what Jordan Love can do if the offense starts rolling again. Jeff Hafley’s defense ranks second in defensive DVOA this season, though you wouldn’t know it with all the fan concern about that side of the ball. But Micah Parsons hasn’t produced sacks, the Green Bay Packers defense as a whole isn’t creating splash plays, and Hafley’s group doesn’t feel like the same team we saw in the first two weeks of the season.

The offense can change all that.

Though people’s mileage may vary on Pro Football Focus grading, the Packers rank fourth in PFF’s pass rush grade, but they’re 19th in sacks. The Denver Broncos, who are behind the Pack in pass rush grade, have 30 sacks to Green Bay’s 12.

Offenses have decided they’re not letting Parsons, Rashan Gary, and Lukas Van Ness spoil their passing game.

Joe Flacco exemplified the playbook teams are following to mitigate this pass rush: get the damn ball out quick. For all the consternation 18 points allowed in the second half caused against the Cincinnati Bengals (do you feel differently about that after watching Thursday night?), Flacco only averaged 4.9 yards per attempt on the day. When he played for the Cleveland Browns against the Packers, he managed a measly 3.9 yards per attempt.

For the year, Green Bay leads the league in yards per attempt allowed at 5.5, and the gap between them and second-best is the same as the gap between second and ninth! Xavier McKinney and Evan Williams might as well set up lawn chairs down the field because teams aren’t testing them.

At some point, that will have to stop. Someday, in a utopian future, Parsons will actually draw a holding call to put a team behind the sticks and force them to throw it down the field. But more importantly, the Packers offense, which leads the league in explosive plays, will turn some of their explosiveness into better offensive efficiency.

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