The Green Bay Packers showcased their exceptional run defense in a Thanksgiving night blowout. In week 13, they held the Miami Dolphins' running game to a mere 33 yards on 12 carries, while securing a final score of 30 - 17. This victory propelled the Packers to 9 - 3 and kept them firmly in the division race, despite sitting in 3rd place in the NFC North and 6th in the conference.

Key to Maintaining Playoff Seeding

For the Packers to hold their seeding and potentially move up in the standings, their defense must continue to perform at its current level. In the last two games, they have limited their opponents to a combined 72 rushing yards, transforming the 49ers and Dolphins into one-dimensional teams that struggled to pass effectively and overcome the deficit created by the Packers' defense.

Third Down Conversions and Run Game

The Dolphins faced numerous third and long situations due to their inability to run the ball on early downs. On first and second down, they had a league-worst -1.504 rushing EPA/play and a 0.0% rushing success rate. This inefficiency led to a significant difference in third-down conversions between the 49ers (3-for-10) and the Dolphins (4-for-14). The Packers were quick to identify this weakness and capitalized on it.

Defensive Run Fits - "Lever-Spill-Lever"

One of the key factors in the Packers' success in defending the run was their use of "box" run fits. In this strategy, the defense "boxes" the run inside to the meat of the defense, where the bulk of defenders are. Eric Wilson on the far left edge acts as the force defender, colliding with the blocker's outside shoulder to force the ball carrier back inside. Linebacker Quay Walker is the lever player, getting outside to contain the play, while Isaiah McDuffie serves as the "spill" player, aiming to force the ball outside. The backside safety, Xavier McKinney, is the last lever player, responsible for scraping across the formation. Behind the lever defender is the spill defender, who fits inside the next puller to create confusion and hesitation.In the video, the Packers demonstrated this technique beautifully, forcing the ball carrier back to the inside where the defense could rally. The Dolphins' offensive line also played poorly, not being prepared for the aggressive 1-gap defense of Jeff Hafley. The edge player engaged the lead blocker kick out block from the outside, further disrupting the Dolphins' running game.

Defense Against Specific Plays

The Dolphins tried several running plays, but the Packers were well-prepared. They quickly snuffed out an end around attempt by the Dolphins' offense. De'Von Achane was lined up on the left end of the formation, but Arron Mosby, the defensive end, read the play perfectly and blew it up for a 6-yard loss. Later, the Dolphins tried a staple Shanahan-tree concept, the receiver counter reverse, which the 49ers made popular. However, the Packers, having seen similar plays in practice for years, were not fooled. They got into the backfield quickly and nearly disrupted the handoff. The ball carrier had to widen his path, allowing the defense to reach the perimeter quicker. Safety Evan Williams was 20 yards downfield and closed the distance in an instant, tackling the ball carrier for a 2-yard gain.

Upcoming Test Against Detroit

The Packers' run defense will face a tough test on Thursday night against one of the league's premier running games in Detroit. Detroit boasts the 3rd most efficient running game in EPA per play and the 2nd ranked running game in success rate. Although the defense has improved since the last meeting, Detroit shows no signs of slowing down. It will be a crucial test for this young defense to control what the Lions do well on the ground and force them into passing situations they are not comfortable with.