Packers need to “stick with the run” more against the Bears in Week 2

A lot of things went awry for the Green Bay Packers offense against the Minnesota Vikings, but one of the larger issues was that Aaron Jones had only eight touches and AJ Dillon had just 15.

Of the dynamic duo’s 23 total touches, only 15 were on run plays, despite, as a team, the Packers were averaging 6.2 yards per rush. Jones finished the game with 49 yards on only five carries, with Dillon totaling 45 yards on 10 carries.

The Packers offense needs to lean on Jones and Dillon in the run game more often moving forward

It sounds simple, but one nearly surefire way to turn things around offensively is to get Jones and Dillon involved more, something that both Matt LaFleur and Aaron Rodgers acknowledged following the Week 1 loss. But more specifically, the Packers have to continue to lean on the run game—especially as they search for their groove in the passing game.

"“We need to stick with the run a little bit more,” said Rodgers on Wednesday. “We maybe reacted to the score a little bit. We were running the ball well. I think we ran it at about six a clip. So we got to make sure to stick with the run and get our attempts where we want it to be because that means one of those guys (Jones and Dillon) is touching the ball. We have a lot of different packages where they’re in the game in different spots and just finding ways to get them the football a few more times.”"

This isn’t the first time that the Packers have gotten away from the run game when they find themselves in an early deficit. In fact, the approach that we saw on Sunday when trailing seems to be the norm under Matt LaFleur, with the Packers becoming pass-happy and Rodgers falling out of rhythm.

As I wrote recently, there is a strong connection between the number of touches Aaron Jones has and the outcome that week for the Packers.

With that said, the Packers have also been very good about making adjustments following a loss, and as Rodgers said, the players, as well as the coaches, just haven’t had bad games twice in a row. It’s why the Packers haven’t lost back-to-back regular season games under LaFleur, and they go on to win that second game by an average margin of 15.2 points.

This week the Packers will face a Chicago Bears defense that is implementing a new system under Matt Eberflus and a group that no longer has Khalil Mack or Akiem Hicks along that defensive front. As a team, San Francisco would average 4.8 yards per rush against the Bears this past Sunday, including Deebo Samuel averaging 6.5 yards and Elijah Mitchell 6.8.

The Packers still have question marks on the offensive line with Elgton Jenkins and David Bakhtiari as limited participants on Wednesday, along with Jon Runyan still in concussion protocol. However, the run game allows the offensive line to be the aggressor, and can put the unit in positions to be successful, whereas pass protection is a more passive approach with linemen waiting for the defender to come to them.

A balanced attack and a successful run game will open up the rest of the offense. LaFleur will have more flexibility as a play-caller, the defensive front won’t be able to pin their ears back rushing after Rodgers, and it will soften the cover-2 looks that the Packers often see, thus potentially opening up more downfield opportunities—not to mention that play-action becomes much more effective.

There are a number of positives that come with leaning on the run game more often, and more so than just getting Jones and Dillon more touches, which is a must. But the rest of the Packers offense — literally every player as well as LaFleur — will benefit from it.

Now it’s time for the Packers to make the required adjustments here in Week 2 as they frequently have in the past under LaFleur.