Packers DL Kingsley Keke shows growth as a pass rusher against Eagles

Packers interior rusher Kingsley Keke showed more signs of improvement as a disruptor against the Eagles.

Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Kingsley Keke is quietly becoming an exciting young prospect in his second year in the NFL. After a two-sack performance against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, Keke is now up to 4.0 sacks on the season and tied for second on the team.

As a rookie Keke, only appeared in 9 percent of the snaps on defense. That total has risen to 43 percent in 2020. Naturally, Keke’s increase in playing time has led to more production. However, the improvement has been substantial compared to a first year in which he hardly saw the field.

Last season, Keke totaled 10 tackles, 1 quarterback hit, no tackles for loss, and zero sacks. Through 12 games this season, including seven starts, Keke has posted career-highs of 20 tackles, 5 quarterback hits, 3 tackles for loss, and 4.0 sacks. After doubling his sack total in a single outing, Keke is now tied with Rashan Gary. Most people would agree that Gary has come on strong in 2020. Meanwhile, Keke is seeing similar development with comparable numbers to the former first-round pick.

Keke, a fifth-rounder out of Texas A&M, even caught the eye of another former Day 3 pick by the Packers in Mike Daniels. After seeing Keke against the Eagles, Daniels tweeted this:

The fact that Daniels took the time to point out Keke’s play speaks for itself, and the season he is having. Let’s take a look at the film and see what went into his breakout game from Week 13.

This was Keke’s first sack of the game, which came at a good time on third down. After injuries have derailed most of their offensive line, All-Pro tackle Jason Peters has recently moved to guard for Philadelphia. On this play, Keke gets the best of him.

Keke gets off the ball well and beats Peters with a nice double-swipe rip move. He displayed excellent technique but appeared to trip on his inside rush to the quarterback. Luckily, good coverage downfield forced Carson Wentz to hold the ball, and Keke was rewarded with a well-deserved sack.

This play does a good job of showing Keke’s mental capability. Some defensive lineman will fail to key on offensive tendencies, including fakes like this, and as a result, they will have no impact on this type of play. However, Keke sniffs out this misdirection call beautifully. His vision and mental processing allow him to key in on Wentz and help breakdown the play.

On Keke’s second sack, he went to the double-swipe move again. It works just as well as the first time, but this time, he has a clean rush at the quarterback.

On the end zone angle, we see just how good this rep is. Keke uses his athleticism to get Peters off balance with a nice crossover move before engaging with his hands. This is very impressive to see from a defensive tackle in only his second year.

There are a lot of good things to take away from this play even though the quarterback is able to escape the pocket for a first down. Keke loops around and forces Wentz to flush out the other way. However, Keke doesn’t give up on the play. He is actually the closest guy to Wentz before he is forced out of bounds. Effort goes a long way with coaches, and this type of hustle from Keke will lead to more opportunities in the future.

Keke’s development as a pass rusher was on full display against Philadelphia. Don’t be surprised if Keke finishes with more sacks before the season ends.

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