Running Backs Ready For Heavier Workload

This is the third story in a series examining Green Bay’s positional groups. Part 1 was on the quarterbacks and part 2 was on the wide receivers.

The year 2003 was memorable for many reasons.

Apple launched iTunes and sold one million songs during the first week. American Idol was the No. 1 television show in the United States.

And somehow, someway, popcorn shirts, patchwork jeans and pants without back pockets were in vogue.

It also marked the last time the Green Bay Packers ran the football more than they threw it. That season — as Ahman Green raced for a franchise record 1,883 yards — the Packers ran the ball 51.7% of the time. Green Bay finished that season second in the league in rushing average (5.05), third in rushing yards per game (159.88) and fourth in total yards per game (362.4).

It also marked the only time since the strike-shortened season of 1987 that the Packers ran the ball more than they threw it.

Could 2022 be a repeat of 2003?

That’s doubtful with future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers still around. But these Packers certainly figure to be more balanced than Matt LaFleur’s first three teams.

“I hope so,” Green Bay third-year running back A.J. Dillon said of getting more carries in 2022. “Any running back would want that.”

If ever there’s a time for Green Bay to place a greater emphasis on a ‘ground and pound’ approach, it’s now.

The Packers have one of the NFL’s top running back duos in Aaron Jones and Dillon. The offensive line goes eight deep with starting caliber players. And the wide receiver group is arguably the weakest position on the roster.

Yes, Green Bay made Rodgers the NFL’s highest paid player this offseason with a three-year, $150.8 million extension. And the last thing the Packers will ever do is make Rodgers a game manager.

But now could be an ideal time to take some of the focus off the quarterback and place it on what could be a potentially dynamic rushing attack.

“Totally depends on the game,” LaFleur said last month. “So, I don’t want to go in there with any preconceived notions. We’re going to always attack it the same way in terms of what gives us the best opportunity to win the football game. And I think there’s always a lot of assumptions about how we’re going to do that. But certainly when you have two great running backs you feel good about giving them the ball.”

He should.

Jones might be the most under-appreciated superstar in football.

Among running backs with 750-plus career carries, Jones ranks No. 7 in league history and No. 1 in Packer history with an average of 5.06 yards per carry.

Jones is also one of only three players in NFL history to post 4,000-plus rushing yards (4,163) and 40-plus rushing TDs (41) with an average of 5.0-plus yards per carry (5.06) in their first five seasons. The other two? Oh, just Hall of Famers Jim Brown (1957-61) and Jim Taylor (1958-62).

Jones and Tennessee’s Derrick Henry are the only running backs to post 1,000-plus yards from scrimmage and 10-plus scrimmage touchdowns in each of the last three seasons (2019-21). And Jones is tied for No. 3 in the NFL in rushing TDs (29) and No. 2 in total TDs (40) since 2019.

Jones had 799 rushing yards last year, his lowest number since Mike McCarthy’s final season of 2018. But Jones was second on the team with a career-high 52 receptions and had six receiving touchdowns.

Now, with All-Pro wideout Davante Adams in Las Vegas, don’t be surprised if Jones leads the Packers in receptions this season.

“He’s just a guy that continues to get better and better as the season goes along,” LaFleur said of Jones. “And it’s not always in the production either. It’s just everything he does, the way he approached the daily grind, the preparation, what he does when he’s not getting the ball is the epitome of a team player. And we sure are lucky to have a guy as dynamic as he is.”

Dillon led the Packers with 803 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns a year ago. But just two of his 187 carries went for 20 yards, or more (1.1%).

The 247-pound Dillon is a punishing runner who gets stronger as the game goes on. He’s also improved his pass catching and hauled in 34 passes last season, while averaging 9.2 yards per catch.

“It’s definitely something I’m still trying to work on,” Dillon said of his pass catching. “Coming in, I was always the big back who’s only good for third-and-short, so I really want to be and I think of myself as an APB, an all-purpose back, no matter what the situation and I feel like last year was a good start, a good foothold if you will.

“But there’s still a couple opportunities I wish I had caught the ball and been in better placement or ran a route better. So I’m happy with the improvement, but obviously still working on it.”

Dillon ran the 40-yard dash in an impressive 4.53 seconds at the 2020 NFL Combine, proving to scouts he has the speed to make big plays in the open field. And while Dillon had a solid second season, the Packers are hoping he gives them more explosive plays in 2022.

“He’s got that type of ability,” Packers running backs coach Ben Sirmans said of Dillon. “He can make you miss in the open field.

“He’s faster than what most people think. He’s got the ability to put a little juke on you, even for a guy his size. So really, it’s just putting all those facets to his game and putting them together. I do think he’ll have more explosive runs this year.”

Cleveland’s running back duo of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt is widely regarded as the NFL’s best. But many view the Jones-Dillon tandem as No. 2, and they could give Green Bay the balance its lacked for years.

Of course, that’s still up to LaFleur, and eventually Rodgers — who has the authority to change plays at the line of scrimmage.

When LaFleur arrived in 2019, he did so with a reputation as having one of the most balanced offenses in football.

As the non-play calling offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams in 2017, LaFleur oversaw an attack that ran the ball 46.7% of the time (454 of 972). The Rams finished that season No. 1 in scoring offense, No. 10 in total offense, No. 8 in rushing offense and No. 10 in passing offense.

As the play-calling offensive coordinator in Tennessee in 2018, LaFleur’s Titans ran the ball a whopping 51.0% of the time (454 of 891). The Titans had a disappointing year offensively and ranked 25^th in total offense and 27^th in scoring, but were seventh in rushing offense.

LaFleur relied heavily on running backs Todd Gurley in Los Angeles, and both Derrick Henry and Dion Lewis in Tennessee.

LaFleur hasn’t stressed the run as much in Green Bay, though.

The Packers have run just 43.4% of the time since LaFleur took over. That number drops to 38.5% when you eliminate quarterback runs — plays that certainly weren’t called by LaFleur.

With so much uncertainty in the passing game — and an elite running back duo — it seems logical that Green Bay would stress the run game more than recent years. But with the pass-happy Packers, you just never know.

“Time will tell in terms of how we progress when we get into training camp, when we get the pads on, when we get into the preseason games,” LaFleur said. “I think that it will be something that will kind of naturally evolve over time in terms of how we’re going to attack a defense.”

Kylin Hill, a seventh-round draft pick in 2021, suffered a torn ACL against Arizona on Oct. 28. Hill averaged just 2.4 yards per carry and 19.9 yards on kickoff returns before his injury, and will have his hands full winning a roster spot, even if he returns for training camp.

With Hill sidelined, Patrick Taylor stepped in at No. 3 and had his moments. The most impressive came in a Week 17 loss at Detroit, when Taylor carried 11 times for 53 yards and a touchdown.

If Green Bay eventually changes its stripes, though, and runs the ball like it did in 2003, it will be due to the elite duo of Jones and Dillon.

“I know there’s some great combos out there, but I think we’re as good as anyone in football,” Dillon said of himself and Jones. “How many chances will we get? That’s not up to me. I just know we’ll be ready when our number is called.”