What role will Keisean Nixon play on defense?

Defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley has been open about his desire to put rookie safety Javon Bullard in a position where he can utilize his physical abilities near the offensive line. Against the Rams, he used Bullard as the nickel slot corner in place of Keisean Nixon, who was moved outside to replace the injured Jaire Alexander. When Alexander returns this week, Hafley will have to decide whether to bring Nixon back on the court, stick with Bullard or switch the two. Another option would be to put Nixon in the spot where Eric Stokes and Carrington Valentine share their snaps. Stokes and Valentine didn’t tackle well, and while Nixon isn’t as good in coverage as the other two, he’s not afraid to jump into the fray and likes to challenge opposing receivers. “Look what he’s done,” Hafley said. “His coverage was tight. He was with the Blitz. He was aggressive against the run. When you watch the film, you start to realize that he’s starting to get really good at playing human beings, which is huge from both the outside and the inside. And he brings physicality from the corner position.”

Hafley wasn’t worried about opponents blocking his pass rushers

The Packers have seen opposing teams attempt to slow their pass rush through chip blocking from behind and tight ends. Hafley said he used some maneuvers to prevent his best rushers from having to face additional blockers, but there were still instances where the Rams were able to slow the rush with their backs. One way to eliminate the double teams is to rush more than four teams, but Hafley said he’s okay with his linemen getting extra attention because it detracts from the strength of the offense. “There are certainly ways we can help,” Hafley said. “You can’t always do it, but there are definitely things we can do. When we talk about presses and sacks, when teams want to chip us here and there and use the backs in a seven-man defense and we only have to cover three wide receivers, then our win rate is going to go up. ”