Packers' Unheralded Rookie Surging Up Depth Chart, Pushing for First-Team Reps 1 Green Bay Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley gives instruction during a drill with defensive backs on Saturday, July 27, 2024, at Ray Nitschke Field in Ashwaubenon, Wis.

Packers DC Jeff Hafley issues challenge to defense ahead of Week 3 in Cleveland

Originally posted on WI Sports Heroics | By John Sbisa | Last updated Sep 18, 2025 10:14 PM ET

The Green Bay Packers are 2-0 are taking both games at home to start the season. Week 3 in Cleveland represents their first road contest, against a strong Browns defense overshadowed by a patchy operation on the other side of the ball. The Packers are favored by 7.5 to 8.5 points, an usually large number for road overdogs.

At Lambeau, they dominated two well-esteemed foe in the Lions and Commanders, marching to victory by scores of 24-6 and 27-18. Despite an underwhelming Browns offense and the public tendency to pile on – will this team ever be run competently – defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley had a simple but strong message for his unit ahead of the game. He doesn’t want them unprepared for the first hostile environment of the season.

Packers defense will have to bring home-field advantage on the road

Hafley’s main focus as coordinator is getting the defense to play “harder than anybody in the NFL,” something he says they have done admirably in the first two games. The home crowd, which they won’t have this week, has also helped energize them.

“That’s electrifying, that’s appreciated. Our guys have fed off that,” Hafley said of having Lambeau Field behind the defense on every down.

“We’re not home this week. So the challenge is: can we go on the road, and can we play with the same energy. Because we’re going to have to bring it. It’s going to be us. … this is the first time we’re taking our show on the road and we better bring our juice.”

Good news for the Packers, Micah Parsons is absent from the injury report this week, meaning that he might stay on the field a bit more this week. Parsons played under half of all snaps in Week 1 but stayed on the field for 68 percent of them against the Commanders. If the injury report is any indicator, that figure should trend even higher this week.

Executive hails Packers rise and questions 49ers future 3 Sep 11, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; Green Bay Packers defensive end Micah Parsons (1) reacts in the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

Increased involvement from Parsons will help, but Hafley also called on fans to provide a boost out-of-state.

“Hopefully our fans will travel like they do and give us a little bit,” Hafley gestured with a lifting motion of his hand. At the end of the day, of course, it all falls on the players, their focus, and their own internal motors. “We better bring that energy because it’s not going to be loud on our third down.”

This article first appeared on WI Sports Heroics and was syndicated with permission.

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