The Pass Rush Will Have No Excuses Against the Rams

The Green Bay Packers pressured Sam Darnold 14 times on Sunday, their second-lowest total of the season. Only against the Indianapolis Colts did they record fewer pressures.

According to Pro Football Focus, Devonte Wyatt and Kenny Clark lead the Packers with 9 total pressures each. Rashan Gary and Preston Smith follow with 6, while J.J. Enagbare, Karl Brooks, and T.J. Slaton each have 5. No other Packer has recorded more than five pressures this season.

Green Bay heads to Los Angeles to face the Rams next Sunday. With the Rams’ offense decimated by injuries, the Packers have a prime opportunity to capitalize in all three phases of their defense.

The Rams enter Week 5 with the third-worst offensive line in pass-blocking efficiency, according to PFF. They’ve allowed 51 pressures on 144 pass-blocking snaps. Matthew Stafford is tied as the most sacked quarterback in the NFL.

Los Angeles has used 11 different offensive linemen so far this season. Warren McClendon Jr. has allowed nine pressures, three sacks, and four hits on Matthew Stafford, with a PFF pass-blocking grade of 31.2 on true pass sets. Beaux Limmer has given up eight pressures and six hurries on 126 pass-blocking snaps. Kevin Dotson has allowed seven pressures, five hurries, and two sacks on 153 pass-blocking snaps. Rob Havenstein is the Rams’ highest-graded offensive lineman in pass blocking, but he still has a lower grade than Zach Tom, Elgton Jenkins, and Rasheed Walker.

For the third straight week, the Packers will face a bottom-ten offensive line in pass-blocking efficiency. They pressured Will Levis 20 times and sacked him eight times in Week 3. However, against the Vikings, Sam Darnold often had too much time to throw, and the Packers’ defense was shredded in the first half.

The pass rush as a unit has yet to meet expectations. They are only four games into Jeff Hafley’s system, so some adjustment time was expected. However, it’s concerning that key players like Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark, both earning top-tier salaries at their positions, have been underperforming.

Rashan Gary had zero pressures against both the Colts and Vikings. His pass rush win rate is just 3%, ranking 104th out of 110 edge rushers. To put it in perspective, Nick Bosa had more pressures in one game against the Patriots than Gary has managed in all four games this season. Furthermore, Kenny Clark is off to the worst start of his career in both overall defensive grade and pass rush grade.

Green Bay is nearly paying $50 million for Preston Smith and Rashan Gary combined. They also drafted Lukas Van Ness with the 13th overall pick in 2023. However, the best pass rush grade on the team belongs to Kingsley Enagbare.

Matt LaFleur revealed that the edges have been “sacrificed” on certain plays to contain and eliminate potential rushing lanes. However, with the current approach not fully working, the Packers will likely make some adjustments, which could lead to improvement in the pass rush soon.

The Rams’ offensive line is not performing well, and with both Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua out due to injuries, it will be more challenging for Matthew Stafford to move the ball downfield. As a purely pocket passer, Stafford’s mobility should not be a concern for the Packers. If Green Bay’s pass rush plays disciplined football and is able to get early into a rhythm, Sean McVay’s offense could face a long day on Sunday.