Packers' Defense Ignites Green Bay in Ugly Win over Oakland

There aren't many places where securing a playoff berth before the end of Week 15 with a win would go hand in hand with continued concerns, but Green Bay is one of those places. After the Packers defense had to step up to secure a 30-20 win over the Oakland Raiders, strides must be made for the Packers to be ready for the postseason.

The offense looks to be closer to its old self with head coach Mike McCarthy calling plays again, but its struggles against the Raiders made it apparent that quarterback Aaron Rodgers' unit is not where it needs to be. Rodgers led a passing attack that didn't eclipse 200 yards, and the team as a whole was outgained by 79 yards.

The Packers did well to move into the red zone five times, but they hardly converted once they got there. Green Bay only got into the end zone once in those five trips, all too often settling for three and keeping Oakland in the game.

Of course, one unit did all it could to wash away any doubt—the defense.

A Packers defense that has been embattled over the last few seasons led the team to a playoff-clinching victory, forcing two interceptions of Derek Carr. One was returned for a touchdown by cornerback Damarious Randall to give Green Bay a 14-0 lead early.

An inconsistent offense allowed the Raiders to make it a tight second-half contest and force the defense to come up with some big stops late. It did just that, forcing turnovers on downs to stop the Raiders' last three possessions of the game.

Needing to carry the team to victory probably felt foreign for linebacker Clay Matthews and company, considering how consistently dominant Rodgers' offense has been throughout his era. But if Sunday's game was any indication, the defense will be needed more and more moving forward.

Once again, the offense looked like a shell of its former self with the aforementioned red-zone troubles and untimely mistakes, one of which—a fourth-quarter interception in the end zone—was noticeably un-Rodgers like, as CBS Sports' Jason La Canfora noted:

The issues for Rodgers on offense aren't by any means tied to this game alone. After posting a passer rating above 115 in each of his first three games, he's now gone eight games in a row with a sub-100 passer rating.

The vertical threat of Jordy Nelson is missed greatly, as nobody in the Packers' receiving corps can get open down the field with consistency. Wideouts aren't getting separation, and Rodgers can only thread the needle so much before defenses take advantage.

And despite Sunday's performance, this isn't a defense that promises to carry Green Bay throughout the NFC playoff gauntlet. The Packers still rank just 16th in total defense, although ranking sixth in points against does indicate they're closer to top-tier than mediocre. 

When you put everything together, though, there's no doubt these Packers have plenty to work on despite being 10-4, as Ryan Wood of ESPN noted:

Anyone who tunes into a Packers game can tell there are issues that threaten to hold them back come January, but nobody around Lambeau Field can really feel disheartened at where Green Bay is. If anything, having the offense in a funk—as opposed to the defense—might be preferred, as Rodgers has proven he can be trusted to take over and make wins happen.

One thing is certain: Rodgers isn't upset at where the Packers are and the fact that they added another 'W,' as the Packers' Twitter noted:

As the age-old saying goes, defense wins championships. The Packers needed a great one years back when Rodgers won his first Super Bowl.

This time around, though, they might need an even better one. As long as uncharacteristic inconsistency continues to plague the Green Bay offense, the defense will have to be as dominant as it was Sunday against the Raiders to give them a serious chance against the NFC's elite.