Rob Demovsky, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Packers' D takes offense to shootout talk

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Don't tell Green Bay Packers safety Micah Hyde that Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints is going to be a shootout between two high-powered offenses.

Never mind that the last three meetings between the two teams have seen an average of 70.3 points scored per game.

"I think as a defense when you hear it's going to be a shootout, it's kind of disrespectful," Hyde said Thursday. "But it is what it is. They're going to say what they want to say and the media is going to say what they want to say, but we know we have a job to do, to go there and do what we're capable of doing and play tough defense. We know what we're capable of doing it."

In fact, they have proven that.

Without garnering much attention, the Packers' defense ranks sixth in the NFL against the pass, allowing just 214.9 yards per game through the air. They were fifth against the pass the previous week and had not ranked that high since Week 3 of the 2012 season, when they were No. 1. And then they played the Saints and a week later they were back down to sixth after Drew Brees put up 446 yards passing in the Packers' 28-27 victory.

"We like that there's not a lot of talking about us and giving us respect because that just means you've got to go out there and you've got to earn it," Hyde said. "It's going to be a big night on Sunday. We know they're going to be ready to go, and maybe it's our opportunity to go out there and play tough defense in front of a huge crowd."

Like Hyde, Packers outside linebacker Julius Peppers wasn't willing to concede to a high-scoring game in New Orleans.

"What people expect is not necessarily what's going to happen," Peppers said. "We want to go in and limit their points and limit their opportunities. So that's where our minds (are) at, we're not expecting a shootout from our viewpoint."

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