Green Bay Packers v. Rams: 3 Big Things from Important Win

In a game that came with some major playoff implications in terms of seeding within the NFC, the short-handed Green Bay Packers were in control from start to finish as they handed the Los Angeles Rams a 36 to 28 defeat. Green Bay is now 9-3 heading into their bye week.

As always, you can find my instant takeaways posted right after the game, but now that I’ve had the chance to rewatch it and digest what took place, I have my 3 Big Things from the Packers’ performance.

Green Bay Packers stuck with the run game

I know I wrote about it leading up to the game, and others did as well, but leaning on the run game was going to be very important for this Green Bay Packers offense against the Los Angeles Rams defense. However, that certainly wasn’t going to be an easy task.

The Rams entered Sunday’s contest allowing only 4.0 yards per rush, which was the fifth-fewest in football, and they ranked first in ESPN’s run-stop win rate metric. Add in the fact that Green Bay was down three of their five preferred starters along the offensive line, and it was tough sledding, to say the least. At the end of the day, the Packers averaged just 2.9 yards per carry.

With that said said, despite the lack of big gains, the important part is that they stuck with the run game. Although Green Bay’s longest run was only eight yards, Aaron Jones and AJ Dillon had 30 total carries. Now sure, playing with a lead late helps pump those numbers up, but Green Bay still consistently leaned on the run throughout the course of the game.

We’ve seen in the past how much this offense can struggle to move the ball when they turn pass-heavy and one-dimensional–and doing so against this defensive front, which would have allowed Aaron Donald and Co. to pin their ears back, likely would not have ended well.

Running the ball also allows the offensive line to be the aggressor; it sets up play-action and allowed the Packers to control the clock. But perhaps most importantly, and as we’ve discussed before, while finding success on the ground absolutely helps, as long as the defense believes that you will run the ball in a given situation, the ground game can still be effective in opening up the passing game, even without the big runs.

Ultimately, the Rams defense was able to stop this Green Bay Packers rushing attack, but by sticking with it, the offense was still able to find success–much more than what it would have had they abandoned it.