Green Bay Packers: What You Need to Know Heading into Week 5

The Green Bay Packers are coming off their bye week as the 2013 NFL season heads into Week 5. 

It was a much-needed week of rest for the Packers, who sit at 1-2 due mostly to injuries and overall unimpressive play. Green Bay now has a chance to right the ship with a win over the Detroit Lions this week.

Let's take a look at what you need to know heading into Week 5.

Division Standings

With the Minnesota Vikings getting their first win of the 2013 season in Week 4 and the Chicago Bears losing to the Lions, things got a little more interesting in the NFC North.

The Week 5 game between Green Bay and Detroit is about as important as an early season game can be. A loss would put the Packers at a major disadvantage for the remainder of the season, but a win would get them right back into the NFC North picture.

The Vikings and Bears also have difficult matchups this week, with the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints traveling into NFC North territory. Losses from the Lions and Bears combined with wins by the Vikings and Packers would make this division one of the closest and most competitive in all of football.

Injury Report

The Packers needed their bye week in the worst way, as so many key players had been injured through the first four weeks of the season. Things should certainly be much better now that a number of Packers players have returned to practice early this week, according to Michael Rodney of PackerUpdate.net.

The biggest concern for the Packers still revolves around the health of Casey Hayward. He's already missed so much time, and the Packers defense has definitely felt the impact with him on the sidelines. If he continues to miss time, it will continue to have a negative effect on Green Bay.

The common belief is that once the Packers get healthy, they'll play up to the level many expected before the season started. Hopefully that happens soon, or it may be too late for Green Bay to salvage its season.

What Must Improve

One area in which the Packers have really struggled this year is creating any type of pressure on opposing quarterbacks through the pass rush. As you can see in the chart below, the Packers have graded out as one of the worst pass-rushing defenses in the NFL, according to Pro Football Focus (subscription required).

In years past, the pass rush was a definite strength of Green Bay. However, the Packers have only managed seven sacks so far this season, which is tied for the fourth-worst in the NFL this season.

Outside linebacker Clay Matthews is the only defensive player to have more than one sack, but even his season total of two sacks is fewer than expected. Simply put, each defensive player needs to improve his overall play in terms of the pass rush.

If the Packers want to become more than a mediocre defense, this is the area that needs to improve most.