Why Ha Ha Clinton-Dix Is the Packers X-Factor in Week 2

After their Week 1 36-16 defeat by the Seattle Seahawks, the Green Bay Packers are ranked only 29th in the NFL in total offense and 21st in total defense.

The ranking on offense is sort of an anomaly. Why? Green Bay has normally been very efficient and effective on offense under head coach Mike McCarthy, as the team has been in the top 10 offensively for seven of the eight years McCarthy has been a head coach.

That includes three teams (2007, 2011 and 2013) that were in the top five on offense in the NFL.

So even though the Packers will be going against the top-ranked defense in the NFL on Sunday versus the New York Jets at Lambeau Field, Green Bay should be able to move the ball and score some points.

The biggest issue is with the defense and its performance last week versus the Seahawks. The Packers struggled stopping the run, as they are ranked 31st in the NFL. The defense also missed a whopping 17 tackles. Add to that, the defense didn't create any turnovers.

The lone turnover the team got was when safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix recovered a fumbled punt by Seattle's Earl Thomas.

Clinton-Dix had an up-and-down game in Seattle, but to me, he's the X-factor for the Packers on defense this week.

Yes, No. 21 missed a couple of tackles, but he also recovered the fumbled punt, had the team's only sack and almost had an interception.

According to Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Clinton-Dix played 40 of a possible 65 snaps on defense last week against the Seahawks.

Clinton-Dix will get more opportunities to get on the field, especially if he can create turnovers and play solid pass defense. But like almost everyone on defense, the former Alabama Crimson Tide star has to do a much better job in tackling.

The bottom line is that the defense needs someone to make big plays. Clay Matthews, Julius Peppers, Mike Daniels and company have to provide that in the defense's front seven, while the Packers secondary needs to be good in coverage and get some interceptions.

The Packers secondary did not play poorly overall against Russell Wilson last week, as the Packers are ranked 10th in pass defense in the NFL right now.

The thing that was missing was the big play. A big play like an interception. Clinton-Dix should have had one as a matter of fact. But he has the talent to get some more pick opportunities.

The defense that the Packers run under defensive coordinator Dom Capers is predicated on two things: putting pressure on the opposing quarterbacks and creating turnovers.

In 2009, the first year Capers ran the defense, the Packers had 30 interceptions. In 2010, the team had 24. In 2011, the Packers had 31. In 2012, Green Bay had 18. Last year, the number dropped to 11.

That is why Clinton-Dix was drafted. The talented Packers secondary should be able to pick off a number of passes this season. Cornerbacks like Tramon Williams (25 career picks), Sam Shields (13 career picks) and Casey Hayward (six interceptions in 2012) should have their fair share this season.

So should the safeties. Morgan Burnett had five picks combined in 2011 and 2012 but didn't have one in 2013. That's why some more help was needed to assist him at safety this season.

That led to the Packers not giving a contract offer to former starter M.D. Jennings, plus the drafting of Clinton-Dix and the move of Micah Hyde over to safety from cornerback.

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The most natural safety that the Packers have is Clinton-Dix. He always seems to be around the football. That was the way he played at Alabama as well, when he had seven interceptions in his last two seasons there.

Clinton-Dix will also have a bit of a chip on his shoulder this week, as he will be competing against safety Calvin Pryor of the Jets. Pryor was the first safety taken in the 2014 NFL draft, when the Jets selected him at pick No. 18.

The Packers selected Clinton-Dix with pick No. 21 three selections later.

According to Dunne, the Jets got their guy at safety. "I took the guy who will knock your face in," head coach Rex Ryan said on a conference call with the media.

Clinton-Dix is ready for the challenge on Sunday.

"It is what it is," Clinton-Dix said. "I can't take anything away from Pryor—that's my boy. He's a hell of a hitter. He does his thing. It was the same thing in college. He had the ability to roam around. I had to play in a scheme."

But No. 21 can do a little roaming as well.

"Oh, it's going to happen," No. 21 said. "I do it now. I fly around. On the sack I had, I was freelancing. That just goes to show, it can happen."

Clinton-Dix also talked about the scheme that the Packers run under Capers, which is similar to the scheme he played in at Alabama.

"This system is set up for certain people to make certain plays at certain times," Clinton-Dix said. "When your time is called, your time is called."

My guess is that Clinton-Dix will be making a number of big plays throughout the 2014 season and that his time will be called often.

That will be on display this Sunday afternoon at Lambeau Field versus the Jets.