Stringing together multiple strong performances has to be taken seriously. Maybe too early yet for identity change, but having across the board improvement from underperforming players and units is powerful evidence for crediting the coaching staff. Whether last year's MVP QP or last year's goat, you can only ask players to string together good performances now; and KKing has done that. That is no small task to turn around a blown season, maintain confidence despite the haters. Buen trabajo Barry, King and the various units. The defensive backfield was communicating well, and we are seeing how patching the decade long ILB unit has finally helped the whole-of-defense perform better. So...kudos to Gute for finding Campbell, Douglas and Mercilus amidst the injury rampage of 2021.

Judging by the success of the Packers Defense this year despite all the injuries, perhaps Joe Barry was working with CRAP on his two previous stints as a DC. Now I'm not blaming anyone for not believing in Joe Barry at the time of the hire, hell why wouldn't a person have some doubt? Hell after week 1, I think we all thought Oh shit!

After watching this defense the last THREE weeks defend Murray, Mahomes, & Wilson, and HOLD them to 34 points, any doubt I had about Barry is GONE. No matter how this turns out, SB win or not, this defense has been a HUGE success this year and a TON of the success has to go to Barry.

I believe it was "MarkinMadison" who said yesterday Gute deserves some credit too. Personally I don't get all the Gute hate by some here. He's rebuilt the O-Line with a ton of Depth despite missing the leader of the O-Line all year. That Defense is Gutes defense. Just about everyone is a Gute draft pick or FA signing. Barry has made it work, but Gute put em all at 1265 for Barry and his assistants to coach up and learn that scheme.

The Packers seemed to get some great news yesterday about Jones and Gary's injuries. Hopefully they get some more good news regarding Z Smith and Alexander too. Then a little more regarding David Bakhtiari and Josh Meyers. The ONLY thing I want for Christmas this year is a HEALTHY Packers team entering the Playoffs. I'd love to see all those players back and playing by the end of the season. Gute has assembled the most talented all around team in the NFL this year IMO. It would be a shame not to be able to see it playout.

So, "Carrying the D" is "Carrying the G"? :) Love that the defense is playing so well. Now, when is the offense going to get back to something approaching last years #1 rating? I want the "Gold Zone" to come back. If it does this team is going to be a force heading straight toward a Lombardi trophy! GPG!

This defense has been very good and continues to improve. One of the most un talked about part is the tackling. The team as a whole has tackled much, much better then it has in the past 10 years. Amos is one of the best tackling safety's. Campbell rarely misses a tackle. But something about this defense has been infectious to other players. We saw Oren Burks make an outstanding tackle a couple of games ago. King is coming up making great tackles on players. The DL gets their hands on players and makes plays. Tackling has really improved this year.

I really don't think Joe Barry can get enough credit for what he has done. Outside of Campbell and Stokes, the whole defense is pretty much the same. Douglas could be added to that list. They are also playing without their 2 pro bowlers in Alexander and Za'Darius. Whatever he has done, he has done it well. He has got the defensive players bought in and they are playing very, very well.

Gutey also deserves credit for bringing in Campbell, Stokes, Douglas, Slaton, and others. Campbell could easily be considered the top free agent signing in the whole league. He has been that good. Stokes could be in talks for dpoy. I don't think he is getting much love, but look at the job he has done. This game for example was targeted 4 times. He allowed 0 receptions. He has been lock down and continues to get better.

The most impressive thing has been the ability to navigate through the injuries. Losing 2 pro bowl players and not really losing anything. They at one point were without their top 2 CB's. They started to use Yiadom and he was not doing well, so they put Douglas in and he has been very good.

Its impressive that the defense has played as well as it has despite the number of players that have had to play and without some key players. The improved ILB play is a big reason for improvement. Also the safety play has been consistently good. The DL has been able to create pressure. The defense as a whole has worked really well with each other. When the front hasn't gotten home, the DB's have not given the QB's easy throws. When the DB's have made mistakes, the DL is getting pressure on the QB's. They are playing very good complimentary defense right now.

Sidenote:
If anyone can follow this mess that I just wrote, congrats lol.

RC, not as easy to follow as usual, but still lots of good stuff.

We added Campbell, Stokes, Douglas, Slaton to the group that’s been above average the last two years, so that despite the injuries , we’ve been good on defense despite the injuries. Obviously, getting Z or Alexander on the field helps.

I think you have to give some credit to our offense because it keeps itself on the field, even though it’s not scoring a lot. And it doesn’t turn the ball over and put us defending a short field. So that definitely helps.

Mercilus was next man up, now is ruled out for the rest of the year. WTF WTF WTF! C'mon Z Smith, get healthy. Looks like the Packers are waiting until after the bye? 2 tough games before then.

I like that Barry has the linebackers play linebacker and the defensive backs focus on their role. Of course the pickup of Campbell and improved play by Barnes helps. But I also have to give a shout out to Grey. Even with many starters out they have played well! However, I am beginning to worry about OLB’s. I see no depth there. And the guys who are on the team in that position are subpar at best. I found myself looking at the roster and wondered if any could step in at that position.

The D is a great deal better than I expected, it’s been really good the last 3 games, but caution is necessary. This week will be a test. Our performances have been against pass first teams without a premier ground game and lacking a big centerfield threat. The run D has largely been untested, instead it’s been pass contain and disrupt led.

The Vikings have a less mobile QB who isn’t great when harassed, but they have a premier RB and a premier receiver. To stop them one has to contain Cook and pressure Cousins to reduce Jefferson’s impact. That is a very different challenge. Can we be stout against the run? Can we not only be that but disrupt Cousins? If the D can, then I’d say it’s truly arrived not just good in certain circumstances. It will be particularly tough without a fully healthy Gary as well as Mercillus and, of course Z

While I think it might be a little early to call it an identity shift, I sure hope you're right. I enjoy watching great defense, and while I'll take any type of Packers win, I prefer a 17-0 victory to 35-31.

from Packers.com
Defensive line coach Jerry Montgomery
On the defense as a whole:

I still don't think we're where we can be, but there's not a moment that these guys don't blink on the sideline regardless of what happens. There's been ups and downs. There's been a turnover here, a change of possession, sudden change and the guys are like, 'We're up, let's go.' Where before you could see in the past, guys' heads drop and are just like, 'Oh here we go again.' And these guys, I can't tell you what it is, but you've got no egos, you've got guys that want to win, so whatever we need to do to do it, they're dialed in.

I wonder how much ego driven individual focus Z had on the D in the past? Why was he NOT voted a team captain? Does his type of leadership inspire team effort or individual glory seeking? WE have seen which type of play gives in better results.

I do not know what the answers are to my queries, however I do believe the questions bear asking.

Since week 3, when the Packers beat San Francisco 30-28, they haven't touched 30 points--and haven't scored more than 24 in their last 5 games. They're 6-1over that span scoring 21 ppg and giving up 14.

This isn't the 2020 Packers, and we have to ask just what a ceiling performance for this offense really is.

A couple of weeks ago I said that Green Bay's play in the next 5 weeks would give us the indication how their mind set would be heading into their bye and playoff push. Between the Cardinals and KC, this team has raised their level of play to a place I haven't seen since their Favre SB days. The defense is playing lights out and the offense with 2 regulars out are still imposing their will by running the ball. STs are the weak point, but maybe seeing small improvements.
Running the ball, and defense will take this team to a SB.

LOL, we've known for some time that we got the MUCH better end of the Amos-HHCD swap!

You can't say enough good things about Campbell and what his play has meant to our defense (88 tackles already) ; Lowry has kicked it up a notch, and Slaton has shown himself to be a promising 5th round pick. With the exception of Clark, interior defense has been what the Packers have missing for years, and it looks like we're finally getting it right.

I attended Sunday’s game from out of State and on the return trip I listened to a Packer radio program (Milwaukee—Gary Ellerson—I think?). The host/guest stated he wanted our defense to play a team that didn’t have an excuses before he was completely convinced how good the D is; I sorta agreed with him.
The Vikings have no excuse. This game is always their SB…I think it’s the only thing their dirty low-down, milk toast, whiney, sheep herding, goat-smelling organization can focus on.
If we beat them in their house—-with their season at stake. Our defense has arrived.
Kick their lavender a$$e$!!

Yes! This Defense has played great. But The Pass rushers are getting banged up. The Detour sign is about to go up. And Gutey must find a replacement for Whitney Mercilus. Do that and I'll praise Gute. He must roll the dice. Even if the guys been suspended.

I see know way we win this week. The Vikes clearly understand this is their season. Lose and its over pretty much, win and your right in the thick of it since there are a ton of 4-5 teams right now.

I don't know if this season means an identity change as much as it means an identity addition. AS long as he remains in Green Bay the Packers identity will include Aaron Rodgers and how well the offense plays. the fact that our defense is now playing well means that the Packers should be identified by more than just Rodgers and the offense.

I think the most significant identity change is that the Packers are much more physical team on both sides of the ball. The offense has won and in some games dominated the LOS this season. The same is true for the Packers DL and for the entire defense especially over the last few games. Our identity is becoming one of a physically dominating team and the Packers have not been considered a dominating team since the 95-98 Holmgren years and before that the Lombardi era.

The Lombardi era Packers had a ground it out physical offense with pin point passing from Bart Starr and a defense that dominated the league from 1960 - 1968.
The current edition of the Packers is proving to be a similar type of team. ground it out on offense with Jones (when healthy) and Dillon with quick/rhythm passes from Rodgers and a few long shots during the game. Combined with a tough physical defense. Nitschke set the tone for Lombardi's defense, White for Holmgren's and now Campbell is setting the tone for MLF's/Barry's defense. I'm not comparing Campbell to Nitschke or Reggie White but he is playing lights out this season and he is our best ILB in over a decade and probably even longer than that. This is the type of defense can we can win in the playoffs, finally.

GPG! Thanks, Since '61