Behind a solid rushing attack against the Los Angeles Rams, the Green Bay Packers showed that they’re turning a corner. Can they expect to keep things up?
It Starts With the Run
To start the game against the Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay ran the ball on four of their nine first plays. Although the Packers had to punt on their first possession, this set the tone for the game. On the Packers’ next series, they ran for 32 yards on six consecutive plays. Their final run on that drive was a touchdown by Aaron Jones. Jones, who has battled injury this season, was a focal point of the Packers offense against Los Angeles.
Green Bay had been sorely missing Jones in previous games, which has led to a stagnant rushing attack behind A.J. Dillon. Against the Rams, Jones received 24 touches to Dillon’s 10. A healthy Jones gives the Packers a reliable runner who is good between the tackles and also out in space. But it is the threat of Jones that helps open up the rest of the offense. As the season progresses, Matt Lafleur should look to find more creative ways to get Jones touches.
Packers Capitalized on Opportunities
The Rams entered Sunday’s contest without their starting quarterback and a patched-up running back room. Green Bay capitalized on the opportunity by pressuring Brett Rypien with various looks and blitz packages. Joe Barry’s defense was also stout against the run, limiting the Rams to 68 yards on the ground. Rypien ripped off the longest run of the game of just 8 yards, and both of the Rams’ running backs averaged less than 3 yards per carry.
A stout run defense helped the Packers force the Rams into having to convert third-and-long on multiple occasions. While the Rams converted a few key third downs, they turned only 5 of their 14 attempts into first downs. The blitz packages Barry deployed against the Rams should give the Packers’ defense something to build on as they move forward.
Mistakes and Missed Field Goals Still an Issue
The bulk of the Packers offense and special teams has been rebuilt with young players. Mason Crosby was replaced by Anders Carlson, who has been largely efficient this season. Though, Carlson has struggled to hit field goals of 40+ yards (0-2 on the season). Against the Rams, Carlson had a chance to help the Packers build a 10-7 lead going into halftime but failed to make his 48-yard attempt at the end of the second quarter. Carlson is still a rookie but must show he can connect on long-field goals to remain part of the Packers’ plans.
Crucial penalties were the story of Sunday’s NFL slate, but the Packers found themselves committing 8 penalties against the Rams. A few of those penalties, including a false start by Jon Runyan in the first quarter, killed drives for the Packers. This put them in a poor position to stay on the field.
With the ball at the Rams 38-yard-line, early in the second quarter, the Packers also committed a delay of game, which forced them to punt the ball instead of attempting a crucial fourth down. This team’s inexperience has shown itself in the form of dropped passes and blown coverages, but the penalties continue to be an issue for Green Bay. Without cleaning up the penalties on offense especially, the Packers will continue to put extra stress on a defense that is playing mostly well.
All in all, Green Bay gutted out a crucial game against the Rams. The season is still salvageable, but if the Packers are going to turn a corner, they must clean up their mistakes and continue to rely on the running game.
Main Photo: [William Glasheen] – USA Today Sports
