3 issues on Packers protection vs. Falcons: Dare Michael Penix to beat you
The Green Bay Packers protection has been the extra spectacular facet of the ball within the first two weeks, which is an uncommon improvement for Packers followers.
In Week 3 they may face an Atlanta Falcons offense which is but to take a snap within the pink zone this season however will lastly have their most popular beginning quarterback out there in Michael Penix, who’s coming off an harm and a disappointing 2025 season.
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Here are three key issues to observe as Jonathan Gannon’s protection seems to be to proceed a powerful begin:
Will Jonathan Gannon problem Michael Penix?
Penix’s splits between how he performs towards man and zone protection are about as extensive because it will get. Among 48 certified quarterbacks since 2024 he ranks fourth in anticipated factors added (EPA) per play versus zone in comparison with forty seventh towards man.
Part of his success towards zone is a willingness to throw quick, as he ranks twelfth in EPA per play on throws of lower than 10 yards, forty second on intermediate throws and fortieth on passes past 20 yards.
The sorts of routes Penix has been most profitable throwing are flat routes, comebacks and hitches. None of these are essentially designed to beat man protection, nor do they lend themselves to explosive performs even when accomplished towards man.
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All of this means the Packers ought to problem Penix and never give him straightforward completions.
Gannon doesn’t historically play a lot man. His Green Bay protection is at present twenty seventh in man charge, as was his Arizona unit between 2023 and 2025. So, is he prepared to observe the blueprint and go towards kind? There is a few proof to counsel he’ll.
In the matchup between the Falcons and Gannon’s Cardinals final 12 months, he used man protection at a 30.6% clip, which was the second-highest charge of any of Arizona’s video games from 2025, and method up from the typical of 19.5% of their different 16 video games that 12 months.
Admittedly, it was Kirk Cousins underneath heart fairly than Penix, however the level stands and as we are going to get to, it isn’t simply in regards to the quarterback.
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Utilizing extra man protection, in addition to a heavier dose of single-high, might additionally assist Green Bay decelerate Atlanta’s high move catcher in London.
It is troublesome to seek out areas the place he’s actually weak, however London ranks thirty second in yards per route run (Y/RR) amongst 205 receivers since 2022 towards man in comparison with nineteenth towards zone, and twenty fifth towards single-high protection in comparison with ninth versus two-high.
As good as he’s, London is just not a burner and his fashion goes hand in hand with Penix, as he ranks 18th in Y/RR on quick routes however solely thirty fifth on intermediate ones and sixtieth on deep routes. The three route sorts he ranks within the high ten for Y/RR are slants, comebacks and out routes.
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Teams are dissuaded from difficult London due to his measurement, however the numbers indicate the Packers shouldn’t sit again and permit him straightforward catches beneath, which he regularly takes for additional yards, however as an alternative be courageous sufficient to compete and ask London to make contested catches.
Gannon used one deep security at a season-high 55.6% charge in his recreation towards the Falcons final 12 months in comparison with simply 43% the remainder of the season, and his Cardinals held London to 3 catches on eight targets for 27 yards. Three of these targets had been contested and he caught zero.
The different good thing about single-high is that it closes and congests the center of the sphere, which is the place not solely London but in addition tight finish Pitts commonly operates.
They each line up round a 3rd of the time within the slot, whereas over 40% of each London and Pitts’ targets in 2025 got here in the course of the sphere and inside 20 yards of the road of scrimmage.
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The flipside is that Pitts is arguably Atlanta’s finest reply to single-high protection with a novel capability to threaten the boundary for a decent finish. He ranks thirteenth amongst 95 tight ends since 2022 in Y/RR versus single-high and seventh on nook routes, which goal the areas vacated by that protection.
Gannon should determine whether or not he thinks he has the defensive backs to drag off a extra dangerous gameplan, particularly as his major corners – Brandon Cisse, Keisean Nixon and Javon Bullard within the slot – can be at a measurement drawback towards London and Pitts.
Cisse ranks thirty second amongst 89 cornerbacks in yards per protection snap allowed in man protection thus far this 12 months, however he isn’t prone to journey with a receiver, so Nixon, who ranks 104th of 109 because the begin of final season, might get picked on if caught in a foul matchup.
If Gannon does determine to problem the Falcons within the secondary, he wants to choose his spots.
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Last however actually not least, Green Bay might want to do their finest to comprise an elite operating again in Robinson on Thursday night time. To achieve this, they could really need to rely extra on nickel than base protection.
It is counterintuitive, as lighter our bodies on the sphere ought to imply extra favorable situations to run the ball, however Robinson’s profession EPA/rush and speeding success charge are higher towards base.
The Packers have additionally proven they will defend the run out of nickel early this season, rating fifteenth in EPA per rush and eighth in speeding success charge allowed. In two matchups with Gannon, Robinson has an EPA per rush of -0.10 in comparison with his profession common of -0.05.
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They did a strong job towards Breece Hall and the Jets final week, though Robinson is in one other tier of rusher, and can be a harmful weapon that have to be accounted for within the passing recreation.
Highlight move performs have been uncommon for Atlanta this season, however most of them contain getting the ball in Robinson’s hand in area close to the road of scrimmage and letting him do the remainder. He has been utilized in all other ways, even catching a move on an in-breaker after being flexed out extensive.
Once once more, the recipe to limiting this menace might lie in man protection, as Robinson is second in yards amongst 57 certified operating backs since coming into the league in EPA per goal versus zone however solely thirty third towards man.
Having somebody assigned to Robinson might be helpful, however who? Based on expertise, Zaire Franklin can be the highest candidate, as he ranked twenty eighth in man protection charge with the Colts in 2025, however the vital query is whether or not he’s really good at it, and that’s debatable.
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Robinson goes to provide to some extent on Thursday night time, however the Packers should not let him take over the sport.
This article initially appeared on Packers Wire: 3 things on Packers defense vs. Falcons: Dare Michael Penix to beat you
