Rodgers on defense: 'They're playing really well'

Aaron Rodgers went down the Green Bay Packers' defensive roster, player by player. Each has had their moments.

Julius Peppers and his interceptions. Casey Hayward and his touchdowns. The secondary – each starter – and their improved play from a season ago.

Then there's Clay Matthews.

"They moved Clay around, and Clay again showed his versatility," Rodgers said Tuesday on his weekly ESPN Milwaukee radio show. "He loves to rush the passer, but he's still making a lot of plays from the inside and had a sack in the game (against the Eagles), and is able to do so much different blitz-package stuff. So that's been good for us."

On defense, it comes down to blunt production. After getting thumped against the New Orleans Saints before the nation on prime time, the Packers defense spent its bye week recollecting itself. Since then, it's been a different unit. All the elements have contributed.

In the past two weeks, Green Bay's explosive offense has set records. Under the radar, the defense has also been impressive, playing its best football of the season.

Are the Packers becoming a championship-level defense? Too early to say.

But Rodgers said he thinks the other side of the ball is on the right track.

"When we can score a lot of points, it obviously makes the other team more one dimensional," Rodgers said. "At some point – they know it, we know it – they're going to be tested when we're maybe not on our A-game. We're confident they're going to come up with the big plays to get us the win.

"I think they're getting there. I really do. They're playing really well, playing with a lot of confidence."

-rwood@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter @ByRyanWood