<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=1BAm05_0w2iAjO700" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=1BAm05_0w2iAjO700" width="1200" height="800" ><p>The Green Bay Packers are 3-2 heading into their Week Six matchup at Lambeau Field against the Arizona Cardinals. For the Packers, it will be their second-straight game against an NFC West opponent after they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-19 this past Sunday. Arizona, meanwhile, is looking to win their second consecutive road game after they upset the San Francisco 49ers 24-23 last week.</p><p>While it is still early in the 2024 NFL regular season, both teams have struggled to find their identity thus far. This is especially true of the Packers defense that <i>seemingly</i> has not lived up to the preseason hype that surrounded it.</p><h2>Green Bay Packers Fans Have Not Been Kind to the Team’s Defense</h2><p>Prior to Week One, new defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley promised that the front seven would wreak havoc in the backfield, but many fans are not satisfied by the lack of pressures and win rates by defensive linemen especially.</p><p>One of the players that has received the most criticism from fans is Rashan Gary. One of the highest-paid defensive players on the team, Gary has just 1.0 sacks and 11 tackles in five games this season. This has led to posts on social media criticizing his play, his contract, and the team for extending him in the first place:</p><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">What Packer fans expect from Rashan Gary vs what Packer fans get from Rashan Gary. <a href="https://t.co/q3xb3R6lGQ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">pic.twitter.com/q3xb3R6lGQ</a></p><div data-stn-player="0jjjme94"></div><script async src="https://embed.sendtonews.com/player3/embedcode.js?fk=0jjjme94"></script><p>— Wisconsin Family (@Wisconsin_fam) <a href="https://twitter.com/Wisconsin_fam/status/1844568215478743239?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">October 11, 2024</a></p><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">rashan gary gotta have the best agent in the world</p><p>— 𝙏𝙚𝙯 (@TezFrm901) <a href="https://twitter.com/TezFrm901/status/1843058494049779914?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">October 6, 2024</a></p><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark disappearing act needs to be studied, if it were any other team it’d be fascinating</p><p>— Collin (@OurLiquidDuck) <a href="https://twitter.com/OurLiquidDuck/status/1843052951264526719?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">October 6, 2024</a></p><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Green Bay Packers extended 3 players in the past year – the ones to players not named Jordan Love were:</p><p>1⃣$96M Rashan Gary less than 12 months ago<br><br>2⃣$64M Kenny Clark less than 3 months ago</p><p>Packers need a lot more from their $160M investments <a href="https://t.co/q5QJtnJsiF" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://t.co/q5QJtnJsiF</a></p><p>— Ken – Packers Cap (@KenIngalls) <a href="https://twitter.com/KenIngalls/status/1844133035975029235?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank">October 9, 2024</a></p><input type="image" src="empty.gif" style="opacity:0" onerror="s=document.createElement(&quot;script&quot;);s.src=&quot;https:\/\/platform.twitter.com\/widgets.js&quot;;document.body.appendChild(s);"></blockquote><p>As one can see from the posts shared above, another player that has received a great deal of criticism this season has been three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark. In five games this season, Clark has not registered a single sack after recording a career-high 7.5 last season.</p><p>While these individual stat lines do seem concerning on the surface, Pro Football Hall of Fame safety and inventor of the Lambeau Leap, LeRoy Butler, has a strong message for anyone that is critical of the defense so far.</p><p><b>Green Bay Packers Legend LeRoy Butler Encourages Fans to Look at Team Statistics Over Individual Ones</b></p><p>During a podcast interview with Gridiron Heroics’ own Matt Lombardo, former Packers safety LeRoy Butler discussed what he is seeing from the defense this year, and it is a much brighter picture than the one painted on social media.</p><p>“This is the youngest team in the league/ You need a guy [like defensive coordinator Jeff Haffley] who is young enough, straight from college, to talk to what are really college players just one or two years removed.</p><p>“It’s the messaging; ‘effort, and be on time, and we’re going to have a great defense.’ <b>That’s what we go by; points scored and takeaways</b>. An interception is a takeaway, a tip is a giveaway. Haffley has just convinced everybody of their roles.</p><p>“Haffley has just convinced everybody of their role. Remember, they went from a 3-4 to a 4-3, so, some guys who normally stand up now need to put their hand on the ground.</p><p>“Now, I know, when they played [the Eagles] they weren’t getting any just rush on Jalen Hurts, they wanted to keep him in the pocket rather than let him run all over the place. Every week is going to be different. Maybe some weeks, Edgerrin Cooper will be the spy.”</p><p>There are a couple big points to take away from Butler’s message. The first, bolded above, is that a defense defines itself on points scored and takeaways. Now, the Packers currently rank just 14th in the NFL with 21.6 points allowed per game. Take away Week One, which was played on a terrible playing surface, and they are averaging a much better 18.5 points per game.</p><p>One must recall, too, that their only other loss of the season, in which they gave up 31 points to the Minnesota Vikings, the Packers were without their two best cornerbacks Jaire Alexander and Carrington Valentine.</p><p>As for turnovers, no team in the NFL has forced as many as the Packers’ 14. Of course, newly signed safety Xavier McKinney, for whom Butler had massive praise, is responsible for six of them (five interceptions and one fumble recovery).</p><p>The second big point is that this is the youngest defense in the NFL. As Butler notes, that is one of the biggest reasons why Matt LaFleur hired Hafley as his defensive coordinator, because as a former college head coach, he is accustomed to communicating with young players that are still learning.</p><p>No defense comes into the season playing like they are a well-oiled machine. The goal is to be firing on all cylinders when the time comes for a push to the postseason. Green Bay’s defense may not be at that point yet, but they are getting there.</p><p>Oh, and as far as sacks go, the Packers have the sixth-most (16) in the NFL.</p><h2>For More Great Football Content</h2><p><i>Follow me on Twitter at</i> <i>@theotherRobin19</i> <i>more great content.</i> <i>To read more of our articles and keep up to date on the latest in college and professional football,</i> <i>click here</i><i>!</i></p><h2>Our Partners</h2><h2>Mayfield Sports Marketing</h2><p>Call Mayfield Sports Marketing at 262-366-8188 to schedule Green Bay Packers players or alumni for your corporate appearance or product promotion. Our booking agents will work on your behalf to get you the best price for your desired sports speaker. Mayfield Sports Marketing has earned a reputation of being the one to call for booking top athletes to speak at events and trade shows. To learn more about Packers players or alumni appearance costs and booking fees, please call us today. www.MayfieldSports.com.</p></div></body>

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Green Bay Packers: LeRoy Butler Has Strong Message for Early Critics of Team’s Defense

The Green Bay Packers are 3-2 heading into their Week Six matchup at Lambeau Field against the Arizona Cardinals. For the Packers, it will be their second-straight game against an NFC West opponent after they defeated the Los Angeles Rams 24-19 this past Sunday. Arizona, meanwhile, is looking to win their second consecutive road game after they upset the San Francisco 49ers 24-23 last week.

Green Bay Packers: LeRoy Butler Has Strong Message for Early Critics of Team’s Defense

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