Can the Packers Really Stop the Master They Once Followed? The Hidden Strategy to Contain Aaron Rodgers.QQ
Veteran quarterback brings a unique challenge for the Packers, and defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley will have to adapt his approach to generate better results.
The Green Bay Packers’ defense have adopted a “bend, don’t break” strategy over the past few weeks. With an aggressive pass rush and questionable play at cornerback, defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has asked his secondary to play soft coverage, avoiding big plays.
Teams can complete a high percentage of passes, but the idea is that eventually the defense will be able to generate a negative play — either via sacks, or a pressure forcing a bad throw.
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That’s a questionable approach per se, but it has worked at a decent level over the past few weeks. The problem is that Aaron Rodgers is the perfect quarterback to attack this type of structure, even at 41 years old, and his advanced metrics with the Pittsburgh Steelers show that.
Aaron Rodgers has been effective as a quick-game thrower
It’s not news that Aaron Rodgers has been inclined to show shorter passes, attacking the external areas of the defense. The frequent passes to the flat have been a trend since his final seasons with the Packers. With less mobility due to his age, Rodgers has leaned more and more into that strategy.
This year for the Steelers, Aaron Rodgers is third in average time to throw (2.58) — only Miami Dolphins’ Tua Tagovailoa and Cincinnati Bengals’ Joe Flacco throw it quicker. He’s 36th of 38 qualifying quarterbacks in average depth of target, only ahead of Arizona Cardinals’ Kyler Murray and Cleveland Browns’ Dillon Gabriel.
Rodgers wants to throw it quick and short, avoiding the opposing pass rush and taking advantage of favorable matchups on the outside — wide receiver DK Metcalf, for instance, is probably a mismatch against any of the Packers’ smaller cornerbacks.
How the Packers can defend Rodgers
So far this season, the Packers have played primarily cover 3 and cover 2. The team plays man coverage on only 18% of the defensive snaps. However, Rodgers has been significantly more successful versus zone — his EPA/play goes from -0.04 versus man to 0.208 against zone, and the success rate jumps from 43.8 percent to 47.9 percent.
To affect a quick game, the Packers’ defense has to disrupt the timing of the plays, so playing soft isn’t the ideal strategy. Rodgers has completed 77.5 percent of his passes that travel 10 yards or fewer downfield, and he has the patience to do it over and over again. It’s ok to primarily play zone to respect what the Packers do, but press coverage makes more sense than being soft for this specific matchup. Jamming receivers at the line of scrimmage is a common way to affect the rhythm of the offense.
Tackling is particularly important. Two thirds of Aaron Rodgers’ passing yardage in 2025 has come after the catch, so if Green Bay limits that production, it will limit the entire Steelers’ offensive structure.
For the most part, the tackling efforts have been better, especially after the Dallas Cowboys’ game.Last year, especially after the Packers suffered with secondary injuries, Jeff Hafley was more creative to disguise coverages and pressure packages. This is another effective tool to play this type of offense, because creating post-snap confusion on Rodgers is a smart and efficient way of making him hold the ball a little longer.
At 41, Aaron Rodgers is obviously far removed from his prime. However, he is still a cerebral and accurate quarterback, so his style brings particular challenges that the Packers will have to solve on Sunday.
