Aaron Jones

[Mondio]

There's no doubt that backfield action/motion can be used to learn information about coverage, and the Packers do use it that way. I'm sure you're right that there could be more creativity in the offense to open up easier throws. The Rams and Chiefs are currently demonstrating that most NFL teams aren't as creative as it's possible to be. And the Patriots use backfield motion creatively to open up matchup problems. So if your point is that the offensive scheme could employ more creatively, I definitely agree with you.

At the same time, the offensive scheme against Washington was more than adequate. Execution was the problem. Drops, fumbles, Rodgers not seeing the field or not delivering the ball well (knee related, I'm sure). I think the offense as it currently exists is more than capable of being part of a championship run-- the players just need to execute it.

Exactly. we can motion till we're blue in the face, be as fancy and free as can be and none of it matters if they don't make the plays right there to be made. none of it. and I don't believe in the scheme stuff anyway. It's fun to talk about, but you can win with anything as long as you do it well. For every offense, there is a defense to beat it and vice versa, and only if it's executed correctly. There were a lot of plays left on that field by the offense on Sunday. what good is scheme if you don't hit the open receiver? What good is a creative play if the receiver can't catch the ball? What good is a completed pass if they just fumble it away?

I feel like I could just go and repost everything I posted from 2015 or whatever it was just a couple years ago, over again. Scheme this, scheme that, no fast WR's, they aren't fast enough, no creativity, nobody can get open over and over and over. Until the same guys with the same plays and the same guys calling them came to life for all sorts of other reasons, the main of which was better execution by everyone.

 

[sschind]

Execution is the most important thing. Like you guys (Mondio, Dantes) it doesn't matter what play is called what formations are used or what scheme is schemed if the guy doesn't make the play its all for naught. Certainly plays and formations and schemes are useful in putting players into a better position to make the play but in the end what matters most is does he make the play. Overthrow the ball, fumble, drop the pass or miss the tackle those are the things that really kill you. Make the plays and chances are you win the game. Of course the same holds true for the other guy as well so you just have to make more than he does.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Montgomery was pretty impressive when he first moved to running back in 2016 but unfortunately regressed for sone reason since.

He's been injured. A lot. There may be residual affects. He may be making adjustments to protect himself. And the O-Line and Graham have not been helping matters any. It's still early, but his chances will be going down. He looks good running routes, though.

As Sunshine has posted before Williams isn't used in pass protection a lot of times (17 snaps over the first three games).

McCarthy has never been keen on keeping backs in to block. In some past seasons, 6 a game from all the running backs would have been on the high side. Necessity is the mother of invention, I suppose.

Lets break that 17 down a little.

Williams has taken 114 snaps (55.3%). He's run the ball 36 time, which leaves 78 pass play snaps. So he's thrown a block on 22% of his pass plays assuming that unvetted 17 count is correct. As for those other 61 pass plays, a certain percentage would be staying in to spy the blitz, seeing none, then releasing. Those snaps would not be included in the 17 but nontheless relevant. Then there are chip blocks in the release? Are those included?

Montgomery is not a good blocker at all. He often picks up the wrong guy or doesn't get squared up. Last season, Jones showed he was good on effort but poor on technique. He has a habit of dipping a shoulder into the guy or gets pushed off his point when he squares up. I checked to see if arm length or hand size might be an issue causing him to shoulder block, but that's not it. His arm length measured 32 1/2" which is very long for a guy 5'9" and in fact long for running backs in general and his hand size is decent at 9+ inches.

Since going after the guy that matters most is Job #1 (no free runs at the QB, please), I'd grade Jones over Montgomery, but still not anthing I'd call "good". Of course many running backs don't block very well so that's about par for the course.

With Rodgers mobility limited and O-Line issue, I would not think now is the time to discount the value of pass blocking. And we've yet to see Jones run against a defense that had much interest in stopping it. If he gets a hot hand he'll see more ball.

 

[Janesvilleaces]

Montgomery and Jones look ing good today

 

[gbgary]

they all did well but especially jones. he needs to be bumped ahead of monty in the rotation.

 

[yooperpackfan]

they all did well but especially jones. he needs to be bumped ahead of monty in the rotation.

Jones needs to be the #1 running back getting at least 20 touches per game.
He's by far the best we have.

 

[Mondio]

Jones needs to be the #1 running back getting at least 20 touches per game.
He's by far the best we have.

He is and I've been saying Williams and Jones need to be the 2 guys going forward for 2 weeks now. But I've been thinking about it and this seems like a decent approach for now. He is the best and most explosive runner. not even a question about it. But, he's not proven to be the most durable back in his short time in the NFL, he's not the only RB we have, and it's a long season.

I'm ok with rotating touches for now. This staff has always coached with the end goal in mind. I know it frustrates everyone to no end, but that's their failure to see big picture. They want every game a blow out and if it's not, we did something wrong. At no point yesterday was that game in danger of getting away from us. They've always given people who are working hard an opportunity, and by all accounts williams and Monty are. And, it's a long season. There was no reason to give him 20+ touches yesterday. Rodgers can complain of his flow and everything else, and I get it. Seems that way to me sometimes, but let's not act like the other 2 don't bring something to the table.

I don't remember the receiver, but I remember another big play with a blitzer coming right up the A gap and you know who stepped up and just stoned him right in the hole? Williams, again. I swear he's a better blocker than half the offensive linemen in the league. He attacks blitzers and just stones them where they stand. That skill can't be understated. His rushing stats will always be worse, but he's a capable runner. I think he runs in a lot of unenviable situations too where the defense is just waiting for it. and Monty wasn't chopped liver yesterday. He set up that first TD (I think) with a really nice pass reception.

So for now, with history not showing Jones to not be the most durable, and having 2 other capable RB's, I'm just fine limiting snaps when the game is in control. I do expect his opportunities to go up as the season progresses and the games become more important. He'll also be further away from a hamstring injury that kept him out of much of the preseason and a suspension that kept him away from the team for the first 2 weeks of the season. Playing him into shape seems like a good thing to do.

 

[Dantés]

This is everyone’s friendly reminder that Aaron Jones is better than Dalvin Cook.

 

[PikeBadger]

Jones needs to be the #1 running back getting at least 20 touches per game.
He's by far the best we have.

If they start giving him 20 touches every game he’ll be on the shelf by Thanksgiving with nothing left in the tank for the stretch run. This is still a passing oriented team. Use all 3 RB’s in moderate dosages and we’ll have a better chance of having 3 capable runners in December and January. I like the RB mix and they all provide value.

 

[Dantés]

If they start giving him 20 touches every game he’ll be on the shelf by Thanksgiving with nothing left in the tank for the stretch run. This is still a passing oriented team. Use all 3 RB’s in moderate dosages and we’ll have a better chance of having 3 capable runners in December and January. I like the RB mix and they all provide value.

I agree with this. I still want to see him ramped up a little bit more, but especially late in a blowout like yesterday, let someone else take the pounding. Williams is made for that kind of football.

Although I will say as an aside that Jones ran really tough. I don't remember him as such a tackle breaker. I do recall an offseason story about him adding some weight. That's usually not a great idea, but maybe it worked out in this case.

 

[HardRightEdge]

If they start giving him 20 touches every game he’ll be on the shelf by Thanksgiving with nothing left in the tank for the stretch run. This is still a passing oriented team. Use all 3 RB’s in moderate dosages and we’ll have a better chance of having 3 capable runners in December and January. I like the RB mix and they all provide value.

There may be something to that. Jones had an MCL sprain in week 10 last season, again in week 16, and then a month-long hamstring injury in camp. There may be durability concerns.

 

[XPack]

This offence runs runs through this Aaron .... for now.

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[thequick12]

Jones needs 466 yards over the final 6 games to reach 1000. If he gets 12 or more carries a game he should get there also I think if he gets there the packers go 6-0 or 5-1 over that span. Here's hoping hes given enough opportunities

 

[RepStar15]

Imagine if Lacey never got fat and we had a power back and Aaron Jones.

 

[HardRightEdge]

Jones has suffered 3 knee sprains (2 right, 1 left) over his last 17 games played. It would be prudent to apply a little more attention to the #3 spot than the usual UDFA practice squad player. Of course that requires using a 53 man roster spot.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Exactly. we can motion till we're blue in the face, be as fancy and free as can be and none of it matters if they don't make the plays right there to be made. none of it. and I don't believe in the scheme stuff anyway. It's fun to talk about, but you can win with anything as long as you do it well. For every offense, there is a defense to beat it and vice versa, and only if it's executed correctly. There were a lot of plays left on that field by the offense on Sunday. what good is scheme if you don't hit the open receiver? What good is a creative play if the receiver can't catch the ball? What good is a completed pass if they just fumble it away?

I feel like I could just go and repost everything I posted from 2015 or whatever it was just a couple years ago, over again. Scheme this, scheme that, no fast WR's, they aren't fast enough, no creativity, nobody can get open over and over and over. Until the same guys with the same plays and the same guys calling them came to life for all sorts of other reasons, the main of which was better execution by everyone.

The Super Bowl proved just how important scheme is. Until the Rams ran into the best coach in the NFL who had two weeks to prepare for their scheme, the Rams managed to hide a mediocre QB and run one of the more prolific offenses in the NFL. Once the Pats took away the "scheme" Goff was exposed for what he is, a QB who needs wide-open windows and easy reads; something "scheme" provided for him all season.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

If they start giving him 20 touches every game he’ll be on the shelf by Thanksgiving with nothing left in the tank for the stretch run. This is still a passing oriented team. Use all 3 RB’s in moderate dosages and we’ll have a better chance of having 3 capable runners in December and January. I like the RB mix and they all provide value.

The Packers should probably limit Jones to 15-17 touches a game but I don't think the coaches can just arbitrarily decide that Williams needs comparable carries to Jones; Jones is just sooooo much better than the other options on offense right now that it's hard to limit him to that extent.

 

[Mondio]

The Super Bowl proved just how important scheme is. Until the Rams ran into the best coach in the NFL who had two weeks to prepare for their scheme, the Rams managed to hide a mediocre QB and run one of the more prolific offenses in the NFL. Once the Pats took away the "scheme" Goff was exposed for what he is, a QB who needs wide-open windows and easy reads; something "scheme" provided for him all season.

Goff is ok. He's not elite. I think the game came down to the Rams getting their ***** handed to them at the line. They couldn't even stand in the way of NE defenders on their way to stuffing the run or the QB. I don't think Goff had 10 drop backs where he had time to set and throw it seemed.

 

[PackAttack12]

Goff is ok. He's not elite. I think the game came down to the Rams getting their ***** handed to them at the line. They couldn't even stand in the way of NE defenders on their way to stuffing the run or the QB. I don't think Goff had 10 drop backs where he had time to set and throw it seemed.

Right.

The Patriots schemed them nicely, but the biggest issue wasn't that the Rams got exposed. The biggest issue was the point you just made, and it's held true for the entire history of the NFL. If you get whipped upfront, you're going to lose. Regardless of what offense is out there.

Take the 2007 New England Patriots. Second highest scoring team of all time. Scored 30+ an insane 12 times. But the Giants whipped the Patriots up front in that Super Bowl and laid some wood on Brady. Sacked 5 times, hit 9 times. No telling how many QB hurries and throwaways they caused. Resulted in only 14 points for the game.

It wasn't because their scheme was flawed. They just got their butts whipped.

Point is: What happened in this past Super Bowl isn't an indictment on the Rams offensive scheme. They just got whipped upfront big time. It'll take any offense out of their element.

 

[Mondio]

It's the NFL, there's an offense for every defense and a defense for every offense. There's some learning curves along the way, but in the end it comes down to beating your man. Blocking or running over. defending or catching, running or tackling. It's such a simple game. and the Rams Oline has played much better, but they had zero answers for the NE defense. On the flip side, the Rams played well on defense, but near the end Aaron Donald was double and triple teamed. 2-3 guys dedicated to 1 on that line and the Rams couldn't find a way to exploit that and get more sacks, Or force a turnover.

 

[PackAttack12]

It's the NFL, there's an offense for every defense and a defense for every offense. There's some learning curves along the way, but in the end it comes down to beating your man. Blocking or running over. defending or catching, running or tackling. It's such a simple game. and the Rams Oline has played much better, but they had zero answers for the NE defense. On the flip side, the Rams played well on defense, but near the end Aaron Donald was double and triple teamed. 2-3 guys dedicated to 1 on that line and the Rams couldn't find a way to exploit that and get more sacks, Or force a turnover.

I just don't want the mistake of assuming the Rams scheme got exposed to be made because I don't feel that's what happened.

 

[OldSchool101]

Jones has suffered 3 knee sprains (2 right, 1 left) over his last 17 games played. It would be prudent to apply a little more attention to the #3 spot than the usual UDFA practice squad player. Of course that requires using a 53 man roster spot.

Without having a FB and having a primary RB that has been injury prone, GB should invest in a better second option than Jamaal Williams. Many successful Offenses have more than 1 feature RB.
GB has had a part time #1 and a full time #3 for two years now. Apparently last year didn’t offer anyone worthy during 3rd day draft, we should make an effort to acquire an upgrade at #2 this year

 

[HardRightEdge]

Without having a FB and having a primary RB that has been injury prone, GB should invest in a better second option than Jamaal Williams. Many successful Offenses have more than 1 feature RB.

Williams is a good player, fine as a #2.

 

[Dblbogey]

Williams is a good player, fine as a #2.

But he is not a #1, and when Jones misses time with injuries, you need a better plan B than Williams.

 

[XPack]

Happy with JW as #2 back. We have not been using our RBs properly all season and stats of both players show that. He may not be as explosive as AJ, but is a good player to have on his own.