Green Bay Packers: Should be a Big Week for Aaron Jones & Jamaal Williams

After the Green Bay Packers’ rushing attack was slowed in Tampa, this week in Houston should be a big game for Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.

Before the Green Bay Packers’ offense ran into a brick wall that was the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they had been one of the league’s best in terms of running the football. Behind an offensive line that still ranks fourth by ESPN’s run block win rate metric, the Packers’ offense was averaging 150.8 rushing yards per game, which was sixth-best in the NFL. Not to mention that their 5.11 yards per carry is still currently ranked second.

However, as I’ve already alluded to, that came to a crashing halt last Sunday down in Florida.

Green Bay was held to 94 yards as a team, although they did average 4.5 yards per carry. But of their 21 rushing attempts, 45 of their rushing yards came on just two carries from Jamaal Wiliams and AJ Dillon. Meanwhile, the usually dynamic Aaron Jones was held to just 15 yards on 10 carries.

To Green Bay’s credit, the Bucs had been giving up just 58 rushing yards per game before this matchup, and the runs by Williams and Dillon were the two longest that Tampa had given up all season. But the Bucs’ defensive front, along with a pair of stud linebackers in Devin White and Lavonte David, proved to be too much for this Packers’ run game.

And as we saw, once the run game was a non-factor, the Green Bay Packers’ passing attack struggled mightily as well. The Tampa Bay defense pinned their ears back, and Aaron Rodgers was under constant pressure.

However, there is good news Packer fans, and that is that the Houston Texans are on the schedule this week with what could very well be considered the worst run defense in the NFL. So far this season, opposing teams have totaled 1,065 yards or 177.5 rushing yards per game, along with 5.4 yards per carry and eight rushing touchdowns against the Texans. The total rushing yards, yards per game, and yards per carry all rank as the most in their respective categories, while the eight rushing touchdowns are the third-highest total in the NFL.

Do you want more? Because I have more. Additionally, the 196 rushing attempts against Houston are the second-most this season, and the 58 first downs on the ground they’ve given up also ranks as the most. By DVOA, which takes into account other factors such as the opponent and down and distance, the Texans rank 28th in run defense.

I’m sure you get the point by now. As it normally does in the Matt LaFleur offense, the run game should be an emphasis, but that rings especially true this week given Green Bay’s opponent. After a slow day on the ground against Tampa for Jones and Williams, Sunday against Houston should be a big day for the Packer running backs. And just as I mentioned above, if the running game is rolling, that typically means good things for Rodgers and the passing game.