Issue date: 10/9/08 Section: Sports

Media Credit: Ron Jenkins Dallas Cowboys DeMarcus Ware puts a hit on Green Bay Packers Aaron Rodgers in the third quarter at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Sunday, Sept. 21. The Packers lost the game 16-27.

GREEN BAY (MCT) - Say what you will about Aaron Rodgers' interceptions, Ryan Grant's fumbles and the offensive line's struggles.

The Green Bay Packers' offense still ranks fifth in the National Football League with 133 points and 11th with an average of 337.4 yards per game.

The defense was supposed to be the strength in coach Mike McCarthy's third year, but it has to shoulder a big part of the blame for Green Bay's 2-3 start. Were it not for the stellar play of cornerback Charles Woodson and safety Nick Collins, there's no telling where the Packers would be.

After five games, that spot is second place in the NFC North and desperation city heading into a game Sunday at Seattle.

On defense, the Packers rank 26th in the NFL at 25.6 points per game, 25th at 363.2 yards per game and 30th with 807 yards rushing and a 5.1 yards-per-carry average. This is a unit that last year never ranked lower than 19th overall and finished the regular season ranked 11th in total defense, 14th against the run and 12th against the pass.

So much for the continuing improvement of a young defense.

"I look at the defense as a thermostat in a football game," McCarthy said Monday, a day after this team lost its third game in a row, a 27-24 defeat at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons. "They need to keep the game in order, and it starts with stopping the run, and we're not doing a very good job of it.

"They know it, and we take the realistic approach. We're going to coach them hard and grade the film, just like we always have, and we need to get it fixed."

In assessing his run defense, McCarthy brought up a weakness he has identified before: trying to do too much. Instead of focusing just on their own assignments, players in the front seven are leaving their areas to help others do their jobs.

The lack of discipline affects the integrity of the defense and results in a series like the one at the end of the game against the Falcons. The Packers needed to stop Atlanta on three running plays in order to get the ball back for a shot at tying the score, but the defense gave up gains of 1, 8 and 2 yards.

Continued...

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