GREEN BAY – The Packers are building a solid foundation on defense with how they've stopped the run through the first two games.
Now that foundation is about to get stressed with Atlanta's Bijan Robinson coming to Lambeau Field for Thursday Night Football.
Green Bay's 174 rushing yards allowed thus far ranks a modest eighth in the league, but the Packers rank second in yards per carry, permitting just a 2.85-yard average.
That's in part due to just two explosive runs allowed thus far to running backs, one by Minnesota's Jordan Mason (28 yards) and one by New York's Breece Hall (14 yards). The Jets also recorded a 14-yard run on an end-around by receiver Isaiah Williams.
Aside from those three plays, the Vikings and Jets could only slog their way to just 118 rushing yards on 58 attempts (2.0 avg.), which has permitted the Packers' pass rush to stay busy (seven sacks through two games).
"I just think that's how we play," linebacker Zaire Franklin said of the run D. "I feel like letting somebody run the ball on you is a little disrespectful. We've just been executing. We've been in our gaps, playing it fast.
"It's just getting downhill and trusting what we see in our eyes. I think the D-line has been playing amazing whether that's eating up space or making plays in the backfield."
Defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon added the front has been "knocking the line of scrimmage back" via a combination of winning one-on-ones and holding the point against double-teams.
The front is in regular rotation, as the Packers have deployed various combinations of defensive tackles and edge rushers throughout the two games.
Franklin and Edgerrin Cooper have been the mainstays at linebacker racking up their share of tackles – Cooper's got five behind the line of scrimmage already – but they're also the first to admit the run defense is an all-level effort.
Safeties Evan Williams, Xavier McKinney and Javon Bullard have been highly involved as well, along with corners Brandon Cisse and Keisean Nixon supporting from the outside.
"The real key to playing great run defense is the front, but when you got a secondary that's gonna knock down a run that does get out … that's when you're gonna be successful, too," Franklin said.
"Definitely want to give credit to Evan, X and Bull for making sure the ones that do creep out don't end up breaking our backs and we're able to line up and play ball again."
Come Thursday night, Atlanta's Robinson will be that back-breaking threat in need of containment. The fourth-year pro and former top 10 overall draft pick is off to a solid start this season with 155 rushing yards through two games. He's also added 99 receiving yards, accounting for nearly 50% of Atlanta's yards from scrimmage thus far.
But the Falcons' offense has been handcuffed by subpar backup QB play, and starter Michael Penix Jr. is making his return from injury against the Packers. That will make the Falcons in general, and Robinson in particular, harder to defend.
Robinson's long run this season in 37 attempts is just 20 yards, but last year he broke off 93- and 81-yard scoring runs, and he had a 71-yard catch-and-run TD as a rookie. His longest reception this season is 24.
"I mean, however you want to rank him in the world, put him up there," Gannon said. "High-volume guy, can beat you multiple ways, really good contact balance to get extra yardage. He can hit home runs.
"The offense is running through him, so we've got a big-time challenge. We know that he's going to make his plays. We've got to minimize him as much as we can."
At 5-11 and 215 pounds, Robinson can be both elusive and difficult to bring down. According to Pro Football Reference, he's been credited with three or more broken tackles in a game 11 times in his career.
"Elite change of speed," was how Franklin described him. "The way he changes his tempo in and out of the box to find small creases … Bijan is as good as it's gonna get in this league.
"He's gonna get the ball. They're gonna find a way to give him the rock."
The Packers respect Robinson as a different brand of beast from what they've faced so far this season, but they're also confident they're ready for him.
The all-level effort put forth to stop the run will be required perhaps to a greater degree.
"It's just about our play style coming to life," Williams said. "Everybody flying to the ball, getting 11 hats to him. Just to shorten the space that he has. We know that getting a guy like that in space is gonna be a long day."
Maintaining their 2.85-yard average per carry allowed through a third game promises to be a tall order against a weapon like Robinson.
If the Packers can, or come close, their defense will start raising some eyebrows.
"When you have a defense full of dawgs and everybody wants to race to the ball, it's hard to stop that," Cooper said. "We're real hungry. We want to be the best defense in the NFL, and that's the plan. That's our mentality going into every game."
