Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Forgot Aaron Jones in Loss to Lions

After missing two games with a hamstring injury, Aaron Jones was back to ignite the Packers’ offense for a big game against the Lions. Someone forgot to light the fuse.

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Green Bay Packers coach Matt LaFleur, understandably, was fuming after Thursday night’s loss to the Detroit Lions.

“They came in and they whooped us pretty good.”

“I think any time you go out there and you can’t effectively run the football and conversely can’t stop the run, that’s a recipe for losing football.”

“We knew they were a tough opponent, but they manhandled us, really, in every phase.”

“We got our ass kicked.”

“They whipped us. They manhandled us.”

“That was humiliating.”

“Inexcusable.”

Everything about Green Bay’s 34-20 loss to Detroit was humiliating. That starts with LaFleur himself.

It’s hard to “effectively run the football,” to use his words, if you don’t run the football. If you don’t run the football, you’re not taking advantage of your best player, running back Aaron Jones. If you don’t run the football, you’re leaving your young starting quarterback out to dry behind an offensive line held together by bubble gum and static cling.

Sure enough, with the Packers trailing 27-3 halftime, there were almost as many sacks (four) as running plays (five).

After Rudy Ford opened the game with an interception, the Packers started at Detroit’s 16. Jordan Love, with nobody open and under duress, threw a ball toward Jones on first down. On second down, Love was sacked. On third-and-19, Love completed a short pass to Romeo Doubs to set up a field goal.

After Detroit answered with a touchdown, Love was sacked on first down and threw incomplete on second- and third-and-16.

After Detroit scored another touchdown, LaFleur did run the ball. Though not with Jones. AJ Dillon gained 7 yards on two carries and Love threw incomplete with pressure in his face on third-and-3.

After Detroit tacked on a field goal to lead 17-3, Love’s first pass of the ensuing possession was tipped and intercepted. Two plays later, Detroit was in the end zone and celebrating a 24-3 lead.

Not even 17 minutes into the game, the NFC North showdown essentially was over by technical knockout without Jones getting the ball a single time.

Finally, on the first play of Green Bay’s fifth possession, Jones took the handoff and fought for 5 yards. The crowd cheered sarcastically. On second down, LaFleur for the second time this season rolled out an old-school quarterback option. For the second time this season, the play was blown up. Love flipped the ball to Jones, who was blasted by cornerback Cam Sutton for a loss of 2. Love threw incomplete on third down.

A rare sighting: Packers RB Aaron Jones with the ball against the Lions :: Photo by Tork Mason/USA Today Sports Images

At that point, the Packers had zero first downs and minus-1 net yards of offense. Jones, who was expected to provide a jolt on offense after missing the last couple games with a hamstring injury, had two touches for 3 yards.

“I didn’t really know what to expect,” Jones said of his role. “I’ve never been in this position. So, I just want to be out there with my guys and be able to bring some energy in that way. Get back to my normal routine and everything, even if it wasn’t how many carries I (got) or whatever it may be. We have weapons all across the field. Seeing J-Reed [Jayden Reed] get the opportunity or (Dontayvion) Wicks or Rome(o Doubs). We have weapons all across the field.”

None of those weapons are Jones, who is one of the top running backs in the NFL. Coming off the injury, it made sense to give Jones a limited role. Instead, the Packers didn’t give him a role at all.

In the midst of an answer about his new starting left tackle, Rasheed Walker, LaFleur got to the crux of the matter about a running game that delivered 27 yards on 12 attempts.

“We’ve got to find a much better way to run the football because I think if you can do that, you take pressure off everybody,” he said. “It’s hard to sit in this league and drop back and drop back and drop back, especially when you’re playing against some pretty good rushers.

“I think we can certainly put our guys in a better situation as well, and it starts with our run game. We’ve got to find a way to run the football, and we haven’t been very successful at it up to this point.”

With a veteran offensive line and veteran running backs, it made sense to lean into the running game to help offset the youth at quarterback and receiver. Doing so would fit into what LaFleur wants to do on offense, with successful running plays leading into lookalike passing plays.

Instead, Love is being asked to wear the same cape that Aaron Rodgers wore for so many years under LaFleur and Mike McCarthy.

“I think it’s going to help the offense in general,” Love said of running the ball. “Just being able to run the ball, it’s going to set up more things in the pass game, set up the play-action game. It’s going to have us moving in a positive direction. It’s something we’ve got to find out what we’ve got to do to get better at it. It just comes down to execution.”

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