In sports, few things are as important to a team’s culture and success as establishing an “identity”. For the 2024 Green Bay Packers, in what feels like for the first time in a long time, they have an established identity in all phases of the game.

The key ingredient? Physicality.

Since the Packers 2010 Super Bowl season, only the 2020 season rivals the product they’ve put on display this season. Even then, in 2020 there were defensive deficiencies that first-year defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has cleaned up with a ball-hawking secondary, stout run defense and a swarming third down defense.

On the offensive side, the addition of Josh Jacobs to go along with the bruising nature of rising star tight end Tucker Kraft, has enabled the Packers to fully embrace a “run it down your throat and take your lunch money” identity. Which sounds absurd given they have an elite quarterback and pass-catching weapons everywhere.

On special teams, Punter Daniel Whelan has produced the 10th-highest rate of punts inside the 20-yard line (61%), while mid-season kicker addition Brandon McManus has produced the second-highest field goal percentage in the NFL this season (94.1%).

Behind the Packers’ success this season has been a newfound physicality that has been missing from some impressive teams over the past decade or more. Physicality in itself seems like a tough aspect to measure without watching every game, but the unwritten role physicality plays in team success, especially late in season or playoffs, can not go understated.

The Packers previously tried to establish the physical element by pairing now Minnesota Vikings running back Aaron Jones with AJ Dillon but have been unable to truly hone in until Jacobs entered the building to replace Jones.

Kraft has also established himself as a premier tight end in football, with a reputation of looking to go through people, as seen by his league-leading 9.2 yards after catch. Hell, even third-string running back Chris Brooks has brought thunder to the offense. But the unsung hero to it all is the Packer’s wide receivers who are all willing and capable blockers. The receivers playing their part in the run game, with next to zero dramatics, has helped head coach Matt LaFleur’s offense reach new heights.

With a physical, ground-and-pound mentality, the Packers are producing their most rush yards per game (147.3) since 2003 and Jacobs is second in the NFL with 28 broken tackles. To that, 55% of Jacobs’ carries have been between the tackles and he’s averaging 4.6 yards per carry on those runs despite making a lot of early contact with defenders. In fact, Jacobs is only one of three running backs this season with over 1,000 rush yards and more yards after contact (630) than before contact (586), demonstrating his bruising nature that has only become more detrimental to defenses as the season has progressed

The physical nature of the Packers’ rushing attack has only made Jordan Love and Co. more difficult to stop with needing to constantly respect the run. Defenses have stacked the box with eight or more defenders against Jacobs 20.86% of the time this season, the 12th-most against running backs with at least 200 carries, and Jacobs is turning in the eighth-best efficiency (3.63) in those situations. For context, Jones faced eight-man boxes more than 20% of the time only one season in his Green Bay tenure.

As a result of an improved run game, the Packers also have the NFL’s third-ranked passing offense by DVOA (Defense-adjusted Value Over Average), are seventh in scoring offense, and have the most rushing yards per game purely from running backs. Their 1.1 sacks allowed per game is trending to be the Packers lowest mark since 2007 thanks to Love’s elite pocket awareness and escapability paired with stellar offensive line play.

At this point, identifying the Packers’ offensive downfalls is grasping at straws as they’re also the 11th-most efficient red zone scoring offense, scoring 59.68% of the time, including 76.92% of the time over their last three games which is fifth in the NFL.

As for the Packers defense, sure it’s not perfect, but it’s shaping up to be their most prolific unit since the 2010 Super Bowl season with a top-two overall defense.

Led by defensive leaders Rashan Gary and Kenny Clark, plus ascending rookie phenom Edgerrin Cooper, the Packers defensive revelation under Hafley has been a refreshing change to previously underwhelming campaigns that have mostly not held up down the stretch.

Considering the play of other young players like Quay Walker, Devonte Wyatt, Evan Williams, Javon Bullard, Lukas Van Ness, Carrington Valentine, and Brenton Cox, it’s become evident the Packers have zoned in on players who prefer to go through people at the point of contact.

With a slew of young, physical players, this season the Packers have allowed the sixth-fewest points per game (19.1), the seventh-lowest 3rd down-conversion percentage (35.71%), and only the Denver Broncos are allowing fewer second-half points than the Packers 8.4. All currently pacing to be the top marks under LaFleur.

What’s been most encouraging is that the Packers defense has only improved as the playoffs approach. Following their week 10 bye, the Packers lead the NFL in DVOA by a wide margin (55.6%), contributing to an NFL-best +90 point differential over the last six weeks. As a cherry on top, no team has allowed a lower EPA (Expected Points Added) per dropback in the NFL since week 9, a leading stat to indicate top pass defenses. That’s also been without Jaire Alexander.

To that, and to add to the Packers third-highest mark for sacks per game in the NFL this season (2.9), most recently against the Saints in week 17 they produced a season-best 52.6% team pressure rate, with eight different defenders producing at least two pressures.

Undoubtedly the most welcoming change to the Packers defense this season has been the return of the run defense. Their 102.5 rush yards allowed per game is the seventh-lowest in the NFL and their best mark since the 2016 season where only two teams averaged over 30 rush attempts per game compared to this season where six teams are averaging over 31 carries per game.

Put it all together and the Packers find themselves inside the top 10 in almost every statistical category that matters across offense, defense, and special teams.

No one is calling them perfect, with improvements needed when teams enter the red zone, but they continue to ascend as the season goes on and any team showing up among the league-best in all phases of the game can be check-marked as a “complete” football team. Which is something the Packers have struggled to achieve in the LaFleur-era with poor run defense, poor third down defense, special teams woes, or all the above.

The NFC is extremely competitive this season, but there’s no one the Packers can’t hang with en route to a potential Super Bowl appearance. They very well might still be “a year away” until they start hitting their ceiling, with what remains the youngest roster in the NFL.

But with the physical style of play they’ve exuded on tape this season to build on last season’s unanticipated heroics, this is a team that takes no issue walking into your house and returning home with a victory on any given Sunday.