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The Green Bay Packers must push and punch Tom Brady to beat the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the NFC title game, making Sunday a perfect time to release the emerging defense star.
Rashan Gary has a real shot at being an X-factor player for the Packers against Brady.
Since Week 16, Gary is second among the edge rushers in total pressure (14, although he has played just three of four possible games) and first in hitting productivity, per Pro Football Focus. Perhaps his effectiveness as a rusher is the result of fewer clichés and the opportunities involved being a third runner behind two established starters. Or maybe Gary could have even more of an impact if he’s more on the pitch.
In the last three games, Gary has only had 52 passing shots. About once in every three passing shots, he applied pressure.
The Packers could certainly use a repeat of that ratio on Sunday against Brady.
Inner pressure has long been the best way to fight Brady, who might be the best yet at performing subtle pocket moves to avoid rushers, create space, and find launching lanes. Collapsing the pocket and limiting its ability to intervene in the pocket will be key, and the Packers have two players – Kenny Clark and Za’Darius Smith – able to create the necessary disruption inside.
However, edge pressure cannot be ruled out, even against Brady. Remember the 2015 AFC title game. The Denver Broncos’ pass rush bruised and beat Brady, sacking him four times and hitting him 17 times. Von Miller and DeMarcus Ware delivered three sacks and 11 hits as pitchers, and the Patriots only scored 18 points despite Brady pitching 56 times. He finished with two interceptions and a 56.4 passer rating, one of his worst playoff performances.
Hitting Brady 17 times might not be realistic on Sunday, but the Packers’ pass rush has an opportunity to control the game like the Broncos did five years ago.
Gary, Clark, Za’Darius Smith and Preston Smith can be a formidable quartet as rushers. This group have to play a terrific game on Sunday and it could certainly benefit Mike Pettine’s defense to give Gary more chances to disrupt from multiple passing angles, especially in the obvious passes when Za’Darius Smith can strike at the interior. He was simply too efficient to do such an important job to play a part in the biggest game of the season.
Keep in mind that this isn’t just a sample of Gary’s three games. Consider this amazing statistic from PFF:
Highest% pressure since week 10:
1. Rashan Gary – 18.7%
2. Aaron Donald – 18.6% pic.twitter.com/HEopntahaQ– PFF Fantasy Football (@PFF_Fantasy) 23 January 2021
In the Packers’ first meeting against the Buccaneers, Gary only played 17 shots in total and only rushed 10 times. He did one of the Packers’ six pushes, but he had yet to become a trusted member of the pass-rush. His second-year jump was simply delayed.
In Week 10, Gary had the breakout game of his second season, putting seven pressures against the Jacksonville Jaguars. He’s been as disruptive as Aaron Donald’s on a snapshot basis ever since, creating an amazing progression for a talented young player playing real-time on a Super Bowl contender.
In his last two home games, Gary has rushed 35 times and created 13 pressures. Veteran Preston Smith could find ways to impact the game in other ways, but he only has 28 total presses out of 421 passing shots, spread over 17 games.
The Packers are on the doorstep of the Super Bowl, but a football giant stands in their way. To beat Brady, the Packers need their best on the court. And Rashan Gary has without a doubt become one of their best, especially when it comes to the one thing they need most to beat Brady the Bucs. Pressure.
It’s time to unleash No.52 in the game for the NFC title.
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