GREEN BAY – Each week during the NFL season, PackersNews reporter Pete Dougherty and Eric Baranczyk break down game film from the Green Bay Packers game, looking for significant developments.
The following is an excerpt from this week’s story. For the full story, click here.
Micah Parsons didn’t get much rush help
The New York Giants dominated time of possession in the Packers’ 27-20 victory, and yes, their run game was a big reason. They held the ball for 35 minutes, 56 seconds to the Packers’ 24:04, and running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. averaged 4.6 yards on 19 carries in helping the Giants hold the ball and shorten the game.
But another factor was all the time quarterback Jameis Winston had to throw, especially on third downs, because the Packers got little pass rush out of anyone but Micah Parsons.
The Giants, like every Packers opponent this season, made a priority of either sending an extra blocker at Parsons or getting the ball out quickly enough that it didn’t matter.
Parsons played in 29 pass plays and was chipped, double- or even triple-teamed 10 times. Among the other 19, the Giants on nine plays used a quick-game throw in which the ball came out so fast it didn’t matter if he was single blocked.
Still, Parsons was in on two sacks (he shared one with Isaiah McDuffie), had one other quarterback hit and his share of pressures (nine according to Next Gen Stats). But the rest of the Packers’ rushers combined for only a half-sack and two hits, and combined to only match Parsons’ nine pressures.
There were just a few too many plays where Winston simply had too much time to throw. Maybe the most telling stat was that until Evan Williams' interception in the end zone in the final minute, Winston on third and fourth downs was 9-for-11 for 124 yards with seven first-down conversions.
Defensive tackle Devonte Wyatt didn’t show up on the stat sheet as a rusher but did get occasional push up the middle. Karl Brooks and Colby Wooden, though, were nonfactors in this game as inside rushers. Kingsley Enagbare had the Packers’ only other quarterback hit.
Rashan Gary wasn’t quick off the ball, and his power rushes didn’t do anything more than squeeze the pocket occasionally.
The Packers should get some help when Lukas Van Ness returns from a foot injury — he returned to limited practice last week, so there’s a decent chance he’ll be ready to play this week against Minnesota.
The Packers have to hope so, because Parsons needs more help getting after the quarterback than he got in this game.
This article originally appeared on Packers News: Outside of Micah Parsons, Packers didn’t pressure Jameis Winston much
