2025
2025 season · Weeks 1 to 22 · 9-7-1
Packers defense
Every snap the Packers defended, what it cost them and how they got there: the league ranks the player pages quote, where offenses find room, how this defense plays, and who plays in it.
- How good+0.03 EPA a play allowed, 22nd of 32, and 0.02 above what the offenses they faced usually manage (20th).
- How they playThey blitz on 24% of dropbacks, the 28th-most in the league, and get pressure on 27%.
- Where offenses find roomThrough the air: +0.09 EPA a dropback, 21st, softest intermediate middle (+1.25 a throw).
- Who hurt themDerrick Henry (BAL): 216 yards and +16.5 EPA on 36 touches, the most anyone has managed against them.
How good is itthe defense against the league, and game by game
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EPA per playevery snap | +0.03 | 22nd of 32 | 33rd | |
| Pass EPAper dropback | +0.09 | 21st of 32 | 36th | |
| Rush EPAper designed run | -0.04 | 17th of 32 | 48th | |
| Success rateplays that gain enough | 45% | 19th of 32 | 42nd | |
| Explosive rate20+ pass, 10+ run | 8% | 3rd of 32 | 92nd | |
| Yards per play | 5.0 | 8th of 32 | 77th | |
| Yards per carry | 4.1 | 15th of 32 | 55th | |
| Third downsconverted against them | 41% | 16th of 32 | 53rd |
| Stat | Value | Rank | League | Pctl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sack rateper dropback | 5.9% | 22nd of 32 | 33rd | |
| Pressure rateper dropback, PFR | 27% | 7th of 32 | 80th | |
| QB hit rateper dropback | 16% | 8th of 32 | 75th | |
| INT rateper dropback | 1.2% | 28th of 32 | 14th | |
| Red-zone TD ratetrips ending in a touchdown | 60% | 22nd of 32 | 34th | |
| Points per drivetouchdown 7, field goal 3 | 2.21 | 20th of 32 | 39th | |
| Takeawaysper game | 0.8 | 28th of 32 | 14th | |
| EPA against expectationallowed minus the offenses' usual | +0.02 | 20th of 32 | 39th |
Each bar is the league's 32 defenses; the marker is the Packers. Right is better for the defense, so a low EPA allowed sits right. The pressure rate is PFR's pressures (hurries, hits and sacks) per dropback. EPA against expectation compares each game with what that offense averaged in its other games, so a strong schedule is not held against them.
They held 7 of 17 offenses below their usual EPA a play. The biggest stop: Week 12 against the Vikings, 0.33 a play under their norm. The offenses they have faced average +0.00 a play elsewhere, the 19th-toughest schedule of offenses.
vs DETW 27-13-0.06usual +0.09
vs WASW 27-18-0.18usual +0.02
at CLEL 10-13-0.15usual -0.19
at DALT 40-40+0.36usual +0.08
vs CINW 27-18+0.08usual -0.01
at ARIW 27-23-0.05usual -0.01
at PITW 35-25-0.14usual +0.04
vs CARL 13-16+0.09usual -0.04
vs PHIL 7-10-0.08usual +0.03
at NYGW 27-20+0.15usual +0.00
vs MINW 23-6-0.43usual -0.10at DETW 31-24+0.04usual +0.08
vs CHIW 28-21+0.09usual +0.08
at DENL 26-34+0.18usual +0.04at CHIL 16-22+0.10usual +0.08
vs BALL 24-41+0.37usual +0.01at MINL 3-16-0.04usual -0.12Where offenses find roomthe field, the run lanes, the positions and the situations
The soft spot is intermediate middle: +1.25 EPA a throw against a league +0.59. The lockdown zone is deep middle, -0.34 a throw (league +0.73). Completions against them run 2.8 points over expected, 27th-best in the league.
Every pass they faced with a charted air distance and side, sacks excluded. Green is a zone where they allow less than the league, red more. How often shows the share of throws against them there.
Offenses run for 4.1 yards a carry against them, 15th of 32. The leak is at left guard: 3.9 a carry and +0.09 EPA (league 3.9, -0.09).
| Position | Targets a game | Yards a game | EPA per target | Fantasy points allowed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wide receivers | 17.08th | 136.315th | +0.4229th-toughest | 20.314th-most25.814th-most31.315th-most |
| Tight ends | 8.224th | 50.112th | +0.1713th-toughest | 6.610th-fewest9.410th-fewest12.110th-fewest |
| Backs, receiving | 5.620th | 28.712th | -0.0312th-toughest | 17.313th-fewest19.614th-fewest21.916th-most |
| Quarterbacks | – | – | – | 15.012th-fewest15.012th-fewest15.012th-fewest |
Who hurt them most
| Player | Team | Touches | Yards | TD | EPA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Derrick Henry | BAL | 36 | 216 | 4 | +16.5 |
| George Pickens | DAL | 11 | 134 | 2 | +15.1 |
| Jameson Williams | DET | 17 | 165 | 1 | +9.2 |
| Troy Franklin | DEN | 7 | 88 | 1 | +8.7 |
| Courtland Sutton | DEN | 10 | 113 | 1 | +8.3 |
| Isaiah Hodgins | NYG | 6 | 57 | +7.6 |
Targets, yards and EPA per target by the receiver's position, ranked 1st for the toughest defense: the same numbers a receiver's This week panel quotes against this defense. Fantasy points allowed follow the scoring switch. Who hurt them ranks every opposing player by EPA on his targets and carries against this defense.
Their biggest third-down edge is third-and-7+: offenses convert 16% against a league 26%. They are stingiest in games they trail by 9+ (-0.16 a play, league +0.04) and weakest in the two-minute drill (+0.20, league +0.03).
| Situation | Plays | Allowed | League | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st down | 437 | -0.01 | +0.01 | -0.02 |
| 2nd down | 362 | +0.11 | +0.02 | +0.09 |
| 3rd down | 217 | -0.08 | -0.05 | -0.03 |
| 3rd and 1 to 3 | 63 | 67% | 60% | +6 pts |
| 3rd and 4 to 6 | 63 | 49% | 44% | +6 pts |
| 3rd and 7+ | 91 | 16% | 26% | −9 pts |
| Red zone | 171 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 |
| Two-minute drill | 144 | +0.20 | +0.03 | +0.17 |
| When they lead | 622 | +0.05 | -0.01 | +0.06 |
| One-score game | 683 | +0.05 | +0.02 | +0.03 |
| When they trail by 9+ | 47 | -0.16 | +0.04 | -0.19 |
EPA a play allowed, or for third downs the share converted (a first down or a touchdown). Green is better than the league for the defense. Score states are from the defense's side.
How they playpressure, the box, what offenses try, discipline
They send extra rushers on 24% of dropbacks and average 4.2 rushers; 79% of dropbacks see four or fewer. They allow +0.10 EPA when they blitz and +0.09 when they do not.
They put 6.6 defenders in the box on runs, eight or more on 10%. Into a light box (six or fewer) runs gain 4.1 a carry; into eight or more, 3.4.
Offenses lean on the run against them: 8 points under their expected pass rate on early downs in a neutral game. Play action gains +0.11 EPA against them on 24% of throws; screens -0.01.
53 defensive penalties for 445 yards, 32 of them first downs, the 25th-fewest. They miss 8% of tackle attempts by PFR's count, 4th-best.
The defenderswho plays, and what each one has done
Micah Parsons leads the pass rush with 48 pressures and 12.5 sacks on 64% of the snaps.
| Player | Snaps | Pressures | Sacks | QB hits | TFL | Tackles | FF |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1Micah ParsonsLB | 64% | 48 | 12.5 | 27 | 12 | 39 | 2 |
| 52Rashan GaryLB | 59% | 32 | 7.5 | 20 | 7 | 45 | 1 |
| 94Karl BrooksDT | 54% | 6 | 0.5 | 5 | 1 | 27 | |
| 96Colby WoodenDE | 52% | 4 | 3 | 6 | 48 | ||
| 55Kingsley EnagbareLB | 41% | 15 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 39 | |
| 95Devonte WyattDT | 36% | 7 | 4 | 7 | 6 | 27 | |
| 91Warren BrinsonDT | 24% | 5 | 0.5 | 3 | 13 | ||
| 90Lukas Van NessLB | 23% | 12 | 1.5 | 7 | 3 | 19 | |
| 99Barryn SorrellDE | 16% | 4 | 1.5 | 3 | 1 | 15 | |
| 93Nazir StackhouseDT | 14% | 12 |
Edgerrin Cooper plays 93% of the snaps with 116 tackles and 0.5 sacks.
| Player | Snaps | Tackles | TFL | Sacks | Pressures | Targets | Rating allowed | Missed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 56Edgerrin CooperLB | 93% | 116 | 4 | 0.5 | 5 | 67 | 85.5 | 12 |
| 7Quay WalkerLB | 79% | 124 | 8 | 2.5 | 10 | 65 | 98.1 | 5 |
| 58Isaiah McDuffieLB | 46% | 91 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 29 | 75.8 | 6 |
| 59Ty'Ron HopperLB | 12% | 23 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 39.6 | 1 | |
| 48Jamon JohnsonLB | 6% | 10 | 8 | 99.0 | ||||
| 31Nick NiemannLB | 0% | 11 | ||||||
| 54Kristian WelchLB | 0% | 3 |
Xavier McKinney is the hardest to complete a pass against: a 72.0 passer rating on 39 targets.
| Player | Snaps | Targets | Catches allowed | Yards | TD | Rating allowed | INT | PD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 29Xavier McKinneySAF | 94% | 39 | 22 of 39 | 281 | 1 | 72.0 | 2 | 10 |
| 25Keisean NixonDB | 89% | 82 | 52 of 82 | 590 | 6 | 93.8 | 1 | 17 |
| 33Evan WilliamsSAF | 81% | 37 | 26 of 37 | 341 | 2 | 85.7 | 3 | 5 |
| 24Carrington ValentineDB | 71% | 59 | 35 of 59 | 425 | 6 | 96.1 | 4 | |
| 20Javon BullardSAF | 65% | 55 | 43 of 55 | 350 | 1 | 87.1 | 3 | |
| 21Nate HobbsCB | 31% | 29 | 19 of 29 | 219 | 2 | 92.3 | 2 | |
| 27Kitan OladapoSAF | 6% | 4 | 4 of 4 | 34 | 102.1 | 1 | ||
| 37Johnathan BaldwinSAF | 6% | 1 | 1 of 1 | 18 | 118.7 | |||
| 38Jaylin SimpsonCB | 5% | 8 | 5 of 8 | 60 | 85.4 |
Tackles, sacks, QB hits, TFL, interceptions, passes defended and forced fumbles are nflverse's weekly stats; pressures, targets, catches and yards allowed, passer rating allowed and missed tackles are PFR's charting. Snap share is the season average of defensive snaps.