With the Green Bay Packers again dealing with several injuries in the secondary, safety Jonathan Owens was all over the field in Detroit, providing stability on the back end and support as a tackler.
“I think Jonathan Owens came in and has done an unbelievable job,” said Matt LaFleur. “He definitely brings a level of physicality to the back end. I love how he fits up on crack blocks and how he fits the run and all that.”
Owens led the Packers’ defense with 12 total tackles, according to ESPN, eight of which were solo. There are times when tackles can be a bit of a hollow stat depending on where on the field they take place, but many of Owens’ were impactful and limited the Lions’ offense, in both the run and the pass, to minimal gains.
Owens was excellent as a run defender, displaying very good recognition and flying downhill to make a play at the second level. PFF credited Owens with eight tackles in the run game – the most on the team – with an average depth of tackle of just 3.7 yards beyond the line of scrimmage.
His four run-stops were also the most on the team, and he recorded a run-stop rate of 14.8 percent, which, for some context around that figure, Cleveland’s Rodney McLeod leads all safeties in that category this season at 9.8 percent.
“Just fast and physical,” said Owens of his play style. “You want to bring an attitude on the field. Other teams watch film and it’s something they’ve got to watch out for. If they’re coming through, I’ve got to get my pads down. It’s just an attitude you want to bring to the defense, especially when guys get to that second level. You’ve got to make sure you hit them, and they remember it.”
In coverage, Owens was again around the ball, limiting the Detroit pass-catchers to just 16 total yards on three receptions. When you consistently play hard and play fast, you’re going to end up around the football often, and good things are going to happen, as we saw on Owens’ scoop-and-score touchdown following a strip-sack by Rashan Gary.
“I seen it. No hesitation,” said Owens. “I scooped it and ran. There was a lineman that tried to get me and I just took off. I didn’t believe it. It didn’t feel like real life at first. That was my first time getting into the end zone since high school. That was a great feeling.”
THAT'S A TOUCHDOWN!
The @Packers add to their lead after a booth review confirms this Jonathan Owens fumble return!
📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/DeCp1IjYqf
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) November 23, 2023
Tackling and providing support in the run game has been Owens’ calling card, as he’s seen more playing time over the last two seasons. With Houston in 2022, he was one of the NFL’s most reliable tackling safeties, making 117 out of his 128 attempts and posting PFF’s 15th-best tackling grade at the position.
For the Green Bay defense as a whole, missed tackles have been an issue this season, as have missed assignments in the run game. Even Owens himself was not coming off his best performance against Los Angeles, with a missed tackle on a catch and run contributing to a 51-yard score by the Chargers. However, on Thursday in Detroit, Owens was like an eraser on the back end, flying to the ball carrier, taking on blockers, and filling gaps.
Darnell Savage has been designated to return from IR, and Rudy Ford appears to be trending in the right direction, having been able to practice, although in a limited fashion. Presumably, when they return, both will resume their roles as the starting safeties.
But. with that said, if Owens is going to continue to contribute as a tackler and in the run game as he did in Detroit, the Packers are going to have to find additional ways to get him on the field, beyond just when the defense is in dime, more so specifically on short yardage and obvious running downs.