The Green Bay Packers’ 2025 season saw them hitting the High Red Zone, that crucial 11-20 yard line area, a lot. They averaged 5.4 plays per game there, which actually tied them for 4th most in the league with teams like the Chargers and Ravens. Sounds like constant pressure, right? But here’s the wild part: their overall Success Rate in that same area was just 42.4%, ranking them a disappointing 19th across the whole league.
The Wild Efficiency Paradox
Being 19th in Success Rate tells you their everyday grinding in the High Red Zone was below average. This wasn’t a pass-or-run split issue either, with pass plays at 43.1% success and runs at 41.5%. Their pass rate in that zone, 55.4%, put them 20th in the league. For comparison, the Commanders led the league with a 50% Success Rate even with a lower pass rate of 48.4%. The Packers could have leaned into passing more.
Here’s the crazy twist though: despite not being “hyper efficient” overall, the Packers absolutely crushed it when making big things happen. They boasted an Explosive Play Rate of 11.5%, a stellar 4th in the league, and their TD Rate was an even more impressive 15.4%, good for 3rd! So, they weren’t always smoothly moving the chains, but when they connected, it was often for a huge chunk or, better yet, six points. Talk about a boom-or-bust approach that definitely delivered.
The Plays That Brought the Fireworks
How did they pull off those massive, scoring plays? They had some seriously clever stuff. Take the “Pass Pinwheel” concept. Only run once in 2025, it was perfect: 17.0 yards per attempt and a 100% success rate. An outside receiver runs a post to clear a defender, a #2 receiver hits a hitch as a natural rub, and the #3 receiver jab-steps before looping under and going vertically up the sideline. Jordan Love delivered a great throw to Jayden Reed.
Then there’s the “Smash” concept, a high red zone staple, with origins linked to former Packers head coach Lindy Infante. This one puts the boundary defender in a bind with a high-low read: #1 receiver on a quick hitch, #2 on a corner route. If the defender sticks with the hitch, you throw the corner. If they bail, you hit the hitch. Love connected with Wicks on the hitch for 9.1 YPA and a 57.1% success rate. And the “TE Screen,” also posting a 100% success rate and 16.0 YPA. The Packers run these well, building in options, with the ball getting out super quick.
What’s Next For This Wild Offense?
This High Red Zone rollercoaster for the Packers in 2025 is a real head-scratcher. They weren’t efficient play-to-play, but they were masters of the explosive strike and getting into the end zone. So what’s their next move? Do they clean up that overall efficiency for more consistency between the 11 and 20 yard line? Or do they lean even harder into those big-play concepts, unleashing more Pinwheels and screens? With their ability to still hit big, it’s gonna be fascinating to see how they balance that. The league should be watching this unique approach.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
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