Packers DC Talks “Trainwreck” if Kyler Murray Shakes Loose

Prior to becoming the Packers DC, Jonathan Gannon was the HC of the Arizona Cardinals. As a result, Coach Gannon knows Kyler Murray well.

Green Bay’s defensive play caller spoke with the media earlier in the week. At the beginning of the presser, Gannon began with plenty of praise: “Yeah, Kyler Murray, really good player. He’s in a really good offense with some elite players. Obviously, I’ve got nothing but love and respect for K1. He’s competitive, he’s smart, he can make all the throws, and he can beat you with his legs, so big time challenge.”

In short, some good praise from the skipper who shared plenty of time with Murray in the desert. Later on, Gannon dug into the challenge of Murray, dropping an important word along the way.

Consider what Gannon then said: “Obviously, we know in his history what Kyler can do with his legs. It’s part of the challenge of us [in] Week 1 […] We gotta see how the game goes but that’s obviously a point of emphasis because I know first hand what this guy can do with his legs. And he can trainwreck the game real fast if you’re not coordinated the right way.”

Packers DC Jonathan Gannon Talks Threat of Kyler Murray

Expectations are reasonably high for Murray in Minnesota.

As Gannon mentions, the Vikings’ new QB1 is going to lean on some excellent talent around him. Justin Jefferson is the most notable but the WR1 isn’t alone. All of Jordan Addison, Jordan Mason, Aaron Jones, Jauan Jennings, and T.J. Hockenson offer ample promise.

But then there’s that singular ability contained within Mr. Murray that’s exists independent of the guys around him. His acceleration is elite, leading to defenders aplenty needing extra tape for some broken ankles.

Something to consider, folks, is how the mere threat of Murray running can help somebody like Jefferson.

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Generally speaking, teams like to devote a ton of attention toward ensuring Jefferson doesn’t get into too much green grass. That’s a reasonable strategy that’s going to become more difficult due to Murray’s ability to chew up yards as a runner.

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Consider, for instance, a scenario in the red zone where Murray breaks free from the pocket. Does a linebacker and/or safety feel compelled to fly forward so that Murray doesn’t get too much breathing room? If so, does that lead to more open room to fit the pigskin into the receiver’s mitts?

Surely, the Packers DC is preparing for precisely the sort of issue that has been described above. But, to be sure, there’s a considerable difference between acknowledging the problem and then finding a great solution for the problem.

Kevin O’Connell understands that generating explosive gains is paramount to putting points on the board. Likewise, the skipper knows that getting the full 7 points from within a touchdown versus just 3 points from a field goal can make a huge difference.

Does Kyler Murray boast the key to explosion and the full 7 points? If so, then Green Bay could be working toward a trainwreck of a game.

The Vikings host the Packers on Sunday, September 13th. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:25 p.m.

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Senior Editor for Vikings Territory & PurplePTSD . Twitter & Bluesky: @VikingsGazette. Email: k.joudry[at]vikingsterritory[dot]com. Canadian. Jude 1:24-25.