No defense has been better at producing pressure on the quarterback without blitzing to start this season than the Green Bay Packers.

Mike Pettine’s group has produced a quarterback sack or hit or put the quarterback under duress on 30.1 percent of dropbacks with only four or fewer rushers through the first five games of 2019, according to ESPN’s NFL Matchup.

Often, the mark of a great defense is an ability to pressure and disrupt the quarterback without bringing extra defenders on the blitz. Although Pettine was effective calling blitzes for much of his first season as Packers defensive coordinator, the additions of Preston Smith and Za’Darius Smith have allowed Pettine to do less blitzing and commit more players into coverage while still maintaining a healthy disruption rate on the quarterback.

The two Smiths have produced 10.5 sacks and 21 quarterback hits through five games. Preston Smith ranks fifth in sacks with 5.5 and tied for fourth in quarterback hits with 10, while Za’Darius Smith ranks tied for sixth in sacks with 5.0 and tied for second in quarterback hits with 11.

#Packers OLB Za'Darius Smith and Preston Smith through 5 games (NFL ranks): – Za'Darius: 5.0 sacks (tied for sixth) and 11 QB hits (tied for second) – Preston: 5.5 sacks (fifth) and 10 QB hits (tied for fourth) pic.twitter.com/wlZbVT2Qbf — Zach Kruse (@zachkruse2) October 9, 2019

There’s a symbiotic relationship between having an effective four-man rush and playing coverage. Consistently pressuring the quarterback with only four players allows for a defense to play seven players in coverage, providing more assets to take away passing lanes and more time for the front four to get to the quarterback. And when the rush gets home effectively, players in coverage don’t have to cover as long downfield.

Last season, Pettine had to get creative calling blitzes to create consistent pressure. Now, he just asks his new pair of outside linebackers to work with defensive lineman Kenny Clark and get after the quarterback with only four players rushing the passer. The result has been the NFL’s most effective four-man pressure percentage to start the 2019 season.