Super Bowl LIX Taught A Lesson the Packers Can’t Ignore

If the Green Bay Packers learn anything from last night’s Super Bowl, it’s that building the trenches matters.

The Philadelphia Eagles held Patrick Mahomes to a career-worst -19.3 EPA, ending his nine-game postseason streak of positive EPA. They pressured him 26 times and sacked him six (a career high). They also did it all without blitzing once on his 42 dropbacks.

Philadelphia’s dominance in the trenches wasn’t just on defense – it was a huge reason Jalen Hurts took home Super Bowl MVP. Their offensive line, the heaviest to ever play in a Super Bowl, gave him the time and space to make plays all night. That unit has been the backbone of Philly’s offense and the biggest reason Hurts has become a star.

Philly’s dominance was even more impressive considering how effortless they looked against an offense led by Mahomes, arguably the most talented player of all time, two All-Pros in Creed Humphrey and Joe Thuney, and Andy Reid, one of the best play designers in NFL history. They made a usually unstoppable Chiefs offense look completely outmatched in the trenches.

Howie Roseman has done an outstanding job building Philadelphia’s offensive and defensive line. He drafted Landon Dickerson and Milton Williams in 2021, selected Jordan Davis and Cam Jurgens in 2022, and added even more firepower by drafting Jalen Carter and Nolan Smith in 2023.

The trenches are the most important part of football. You can never have too many pass rushers or offensive linemen. Most games are won or lost there. We’ve seen a 9-7 New York Giants team pull off the biggest upset in Super Bowl history against the 16-0 New England Patriots. A big reason for that was how New York’s offensive and defensive lines dominated. Strong play in the trenches can overcome almost any other mismatch on the field.

The Packers have a lot of work to do in the trenches this offseason. Their pass rush ranked 26th in pass-rush win rate. Kenny Clark signed a three-year, $64 million extension in the offseason. However, he finished the season with only one sack. Rashan Gary led the team in pressures but ranked 31st in pressures among all edge rushers. Green Bay needs to add more talent to the unit; it’s safe to expect them to be active in free agency and the draft.

Green Bay has a good tackle pair with Zach Tom and Rasheed Walker, but they need to improve the interior of their offensive line. Josh Myers is set to become a free agent, and it's uncertain whether he will return. In the Wild Card game, Philadelphia’s defensive line exposed the Packers’ lack of depth on the interior, especially after Elgton Jenkins suffered an injury.

Offering too much protection for Jordan Love will never be a bad idea. Love dealt with knee and groin injuries this year, and we saw how those setbacks disrupted his ability to execute Matt LaFleur’s offense. The heavy shotgun approach and abandonment of under-center concepts crippled Green Bay’s offense. Among 75 quarterbacks who played in 2024, Love ranked 53rd in scramble rate – a steep drop from 16th in 2023.

Cooper DeJean’s pick-six last night sparked some “Green Bay took Jordan Morgan over Cooper DeJean” takes from Packers fans. There’s no denying that DeJean is a good player. While I’ve criticized the Morgan pick, I’ll defend Brian Gutekunst here. We don’t know what Morgan is yet. What if he has a productive career in green and gold for the next decade? Those takes will look foolish in hindsight.

Green Bay didn’t miss the Super Bowl because they lacked a slot corner. The bigger issues were the pass rush failing to generate pressure and the receivers struggling to catch the ball. Remember that even without Jaire Alexander on the field, the Packers held the Eagles to their lowest-scoring postseason performance.

Don’t be surprised if Brian Gutekunst drafts another offensive lineman early. The Packers know the trenches are the most important part of the game, and they need to do everything possible to improve while keeping their $55 million investment protected. Green Bay should stop at nothing to build a dominant front. They need bullies who dictate the pace and set the tone up front.