Eye-Opening Stat Comparison Proves Packers Were Geniuses to Sign Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith

Plenty of critics questioned the Packers' moves on defense this year. They let stars Clay Matthews and Nick Perry walk, leaving more questions than answers in the pass-rushing game.

Instead, they opted for Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith, and they've looked like a bunhc of geniuses for having done so. Through not even three full gams, the two have combined for 5.5 sacks, half a sack more than Matthews and Perry combined for in all of last season.

It seems pretty safe to say that they're on the right side of history for now.

Defense has been a bit of a weak spot for the Packers over the past few years. Aaron Rodgers has always been able to drive the ball downfield for Green Bay, but he's always had to keep up with a defense that more or less had been as effective as a sieve.

They generated plenty of pressure on the quarterback last year, but not nearly to the extent that they are now. Entering Week 3, they had generated seven sacks, tied for eighth-most in the NFL.

The two offseason additions have helped to transformed this defensive unit into a monster to be feared by the Packers' opponents. They're terrorizing quarterbacks with efficiency that hasn't been seen at Lambeau Field in a good handful of years.

The Packers made the right move in opting for them over the tenured veterans in Matthews and Perry. Moving on has opened up a new defensive age for them.