GREEN BAY – The Packers' defense held the Colts scoreless for 40 minutes and kept them out of the end zone for 58 in Sunday's 16-10 victory.
Accomplishing that required getting off the field on third down, and there wasn't one simple way Green Bay did so. Execution of different concepts at key times boosted the defensive effort.
Here's a sampling.
Play No. 1: Third-and-15 from the Indianapolis 25, second quarter, 10:02 left
Result: 7-yard completion to RB Trey Sermon
The Colts have just been flagged for holding to make it third-and-long, and a staple of the pass-rush game plan through the first two games helps this go exactly as planned. The Packers' approach against dual-threat QBs has been to rush to contain, not necessarily rush to sack. But to keep the offense guessing and reacting, they run stunts up front to try to speed up the QB's time clock. Here it works beautifully, as DL Lukas Van Ness (90) and DL Kingsley Enagbare (55) run a stunt that frees up Van Ness to charge at Richardson. That doesn't allow enough time for the downfield routes to develop before Richardson has to take the checkdown. Coverage-wise, the Packers have seven defenders near or at the first-down marker within a couple seconds after the snap, and then LB Isaiah McDuffie (58) and CB Carrington Valentine (24) quickly rally to the short throw, allowing only half the needed yardage.
Play No. 2: Third-and-8 from the Green Bay 19, third quarter, 5:24 left
Result: 3-yard completion to WR Michael Pittman
At this stage, the Packers are still pitching a shutout, but it's only 13-0 so a touchdown would get Indy within one score. That doesn't happen. The Packers force a field goal with impressive coverage execution and another stunt that unleashes the speed of an athletic big man. First, the rush up front. Van Ness stunts with DL Devonte Wyatt (95) and clips the hip of LG Quenton Nelson (56), which frees up Wyatt to chase Richardson. Coverage-wise, at the moment Richardson cocks his arm to throw, he has no good options. LB Quay Walker (7) and Valentine are bracketing the stop route by WR Alec Pierce (14) at the first-down marker. S Xavier McKinney (29) is adeptly following the shallow cross of TE Kylen Granson (83), running right along the line to gain ready to close if the throw is made. CB Jaire Alexander (23) and S Javon Bullard (20) are in position to take away the post route by WR Adonai Mitchell (10). And CB Keisean Nixon (25) is alone in the flat with Pittman but smartly eyeing the marker more than the man and not over-aggressively attacking the short area. Richardson probably bolts the pocket too early here, but he might also be surprised at how fast Wyatt can get his 6-3, 304-pound frame moving. The big guy closes the gap in a hurry and gets a clean hit on the QB to boot.
Play No. 3: Third-and-1 from the Green Bay 28, fourth quarter, 15:00 left
Result: 4-yard loss by Sermon
Indy is trailing 13-3 but threatening to score again when LB Eric Wilson (45) and McKinney show their veteran savvy in ruining those plans. The Colts haven't shown a run-option look like this all game but pull it out for a crucial snap on the first snap of the fourth quarter. As Richardson begins to slide left, Wilson shows tremendous discipline, staying not only square in front of him to make him pitch the ball, but also balanced enough to be able to immediately chase Sermon as well. Big-time kudos, because if Wilson overplays Richardson and steps up to hit him, Sermon likely gets the first down because Walker and McDuffie both get blocked in pursuit, with McDuffie knocked to the ground. With the help of Alexander not letting Sermon get to the outside, Wilson makes Sermon stop in his tracks, a major no-no on a short-yardage play. On the back end, McKinney is a dozen yards off the line of scrimmage at the snap but reads the play and reacts instantly, charging full speed ahead to be there when Sermon avoids Wilson's initial tackle attempt. The lost yardage pushes the field-goal try back to 50 yards, and it's missed.
Bonus play: Fourth-and-4 from the Indianapolis 46, third quarter, 12:24 left
Result: Incomplete pass
Rewinding to the opening drive of the second half, it's worth acknowledging that sometimes luck is a good friend. Looking for their first points, the Colts take a gamble by going for it on fourth down, and they're kicking themselves for not getting it. McDuffie has RB Jonathan Taylor (23) coming out of the backfield on a pass route, while Bullard has TE Mo Alie-Cox (81) at the line of scrimmage. McDuffie runs smack into Bullard, which gives him no chance to get to Taylor in the flat in time, and frees up Alie-Cox for a possible seam throw down the numbers. With Enagbare coming off another one of those stunts up front, this one with DL Karl Brooks (94), and bearing down on Richardson, the QB chooses the simpler throw, but Taylor can't haul it in.
