The Green Bay Packers’ Week 18 loss to the Minnesota Vikings has already been forgotten, as both teams’ playoff fates had been decided. Still, buried within that game were two defensive performances that could prove pivotal to the Packers’ playoff run.
With a defense stretched thin by injuries, Packers defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley needed answers heading into the Packers’ Wild Card matchup with the Chicago Bears, and he may have found them during the Week 18 loss. In the final game of the regular season, the Packers uncovered two surprise contributors who flashed when opportunity met urgency.
The Packers Have Found Two Unlikely X Factors on Defense
Rookie defensive end Barryn Sorrell and former Dallas Cowboys cornerback Trevon Diggs each made compelling cases for expanded roles, positioning themselves as potential X-factors in the Packers’ biggest game of the season. Here is a deeper look into each player individually and why the Packers will once again need strong games from both if they want to upset the Bears on the road.
Barryn Sorrell: A Timely Pass-Rush Emergence
Sorrell, who the Packers drafted in the fourth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, made his first start in Week 18 and immediately threw his name in the ring as a potential long-term piece for the Packers at the defensive end position with his impressive performance. The Packers desperately needed someone to step up on the line following the season-ending injuries to Micah Parsons and Devonte Wyatt, and Sorrell may have been one of the most unexpected candidates to do so. Now that he has done so, there is no reason not to allow the rookie to make an impact in the playoffs.
The injury to Parsons forced the Packers to rethink how they will generate pressure now that they could no longer rely on their star pass rusher to get to opposing quarterbacks without sending an all-out blitz. Hafley decided to turn to more blitz packages than ever, and the result was quite the impactful performance from Sorrell in the rookie’s first career start.
Sorrell consistently showed up around the football, finishing with eight total tackles, a sack, a tackle for loss, and a fumble recovery. More importantly, he played fast and decisive, setting the edge against the run while showing enough burst to win pass-rush reps when called upon, something the Packers have been in dire need of.
That matters even more when you look back at the last time the Packers faced the Bears. In that matchup, the Packers leaned into their most blitz-heavy defensive scheme of the season, partly due to injuries on the line and partly to disrupt Ben Johnson’s rush-heavy offense.
Hafley deliberately stepped out of his comfort zone to disrupt the Bears’ timing, and it largely succeeded. If that aggressive, pressure-heavy tactic is employed again in the trilogy game, it could benefit Sorrell, whose strengths it directly plays into. The rookie from Texas isn’t just a backup; he’s becoming a key element of the pass-rush strategy, with the ability to force quick throws, collapse pockets, and generate turnover chances; all skills he demonstrated in the last week of the regular season.
Sorrell was quite the pleasant surprise against the Vikings, but he was not the only gem the Packers discovered during the game. For a secondary that has struggled over this four-game losing skid, this Cowboys castaway provided a much-needed boost to the unit, earning himself a massive opportunity to revitalize his career in the postseason.
Trevon Diggs: A Fresh Start at the Perfect Time
Packers fans everywhere were excited to see Diggs make his debut with the cheeseheads, and the former All-Prop cornerback did not disappoint. Diggs’ performance did not come with splashy interception numbers or explosive plays that show up on the score sheet, but it did not need to. What mattered most to Hafley and the Packers’ defense was how comfortable the veteran looked in his first game in a fresh jersey and a new scheme.
After appearing past his prime this season with the Cowboys, slowed by injuries and declining production, Diggs impressed in Week 18. He held his own in coverage, tackled well in space, and showed a level of engagement that suggested he was far from finished. His solid performance prompted head coach Matt LaFleur to suggest that Diggs has indeed earned a role in the Packers’ upcoming Wild Card matchup, stating that Diggs can absolutely help in the playoffs and hasn’t ruled out starting the six-year veteran.
For Diggs, Hafley’s zone-based coverage, and his past relationship with defensive pass game coordinator Derrick Ansley, who coached Diggs at Alabama in 2017, could be rejuvenating. Diggs’ best seasons came when he trusted his instincts within a defined role, and early signs suggest he’s buying into what the Packers’ coaches are asking of him. At his best, Diggs is an elite cornerback with premier ball skills. For a defense that must find a way to force turnovers, Diggs may turn out to be another gem for this Packers defense in the postseason.
Motivation matters too. Diggs didn’t stumble into Lambeau; he wanted this opportunity. On a playoff team with a rivalry game on the horizon, with a chance to earn real snaps immediately, Diggs was made for the bright lights. If he plays to the best of his abilities, the Packers’ defense just added a proven playmaker in the secondary. Against the Bears, that could be huge.
Two Gems, One Major Impact
A blitz-heavy defensive plan only works if the back end can hold up long enough. Diggs’ presence gives Hafley more confidence to send pressure, while Sorrell’s emergence provides that pressure with teeth. One helps disrupt the front; the other helps prevent it from turning into explosive plays behind them.
Against the Bears, the Packers won’t win by playing conservative defense. They will need to force mistakes and dictate tempo to win, precisely in the areas where Sorrell and Diggs can make their mark.
The Packers’ Week 18 game was not about the result. It was about information that can be taken into Soldier Field in preparation for the Bears. The Packers learned that Sorrell can and frankly should be more than just a depth piece, and Diggs may have more football left in him than the Cowboys ever allowed him to show.
If these two diamonds in the rough can replicate or even improve their performances from Week 18, they will further prove to be crucial pieces to the Packers’ defense for this playoff run, and beyond. The Packers will need both Sorrell and Diggs to play their best football to help elevate this defense and advance past their rival Bears in this upcoming Wild Card Weekend.
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