The Green Bay Packers’ pass rush unit has been one of the most productive in the NFL so far this season in pressuring quarterbacks. Through five games, new arrival Micah Parsons leads the NFL in pressures per game (according to at least one source), and Rashan Gary is operating at nearly a sack-per-game pace.
But while Gary’s sack production has tipped upward, the team has not recorded as many sacks as one would expect with their pressure rate. Some of that is due to facing quarterbacks who get the ball out quickly — including Joe Flacco twice in three games — but there’s another factor in play.
Simply put, officials are rarely throwing flags for holding on opposing offensive lines, and the Packers are getting sick of it.
That finally came to a head this week during player media availability. Parsons sounded off on his frustration with the officials, which surely his teammates and coaches share. He joked about drawing a fine for his comments, but between that and Matt LaFleur saying that he plans to talk to the referees before Sunday’s game in Arizona about watching out for it, there’s certainly an awareness throughout the organization that calls are being missed.
All that is to say that if there’s ever a time for holding calls to start showing up, it’s this Sunday. So hopefully the Packers won’t have to complain about a bunch of missed calls after this week’s game, at least.