Jones returns to put stamp on running game
One of the Green Bay Packers’ game-changing Aarons – quarterback Aaron Rodgers – will be a “game-time” decision for Thursday’s preseason game against Oakland in Winnipeg, coach Matt LaFleur said on Tuesday.
The other critical Aaron – running back Aaron Jones – will play “a series or so” against the Raiders, according to the coach.
The success or failure of this year’s team will be tied inexorably to the health and performance of Rodgers. That’s obvious. However, it wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration to say the same is true with Jones, the dynamic third-year running back. LaFleur wants to feature the running game, and that running game will set up a play-action passing attack. Both of those facets were ignored by coach Mike McCarthy, with the Packers fielding the most pass-happy attack in the NFL last season.
That means more of Jones, who is averaging only 10.4 touches in 24 career games. On the plus side, of all running backs in NFL history with 200-plus carries, Jones ranks all-time with his 5.50-yard average. On the negative side, Jones has missed four games in each of his first two seasons. In that regard, this year didn’t get off to an overly promising start, with Jones being sidelined for the first two preseason games by a hamstring injury.
“I’m very excited” Jones said on Tuesday of making his preseason debut. “Looking forward to it. I’m excited to run this new offense. I didn’t get to do the joint practice (against Houston) or anything, so I didn’t get to experience going against anybody else. We’ve just been going against the defense the whole time, so I’m excited to go hit somebody else and run against somebody else.”
Green Bay’s running attack has been feeble, to say the least, in the preseason. The Packers enter this week’s slate of games ranked 26th in rushing yards per game (75.0) and rushing yards per carry (3.19). Those figures, of course, mean nothing. Over the last two seasons, Jones has averaged 5.50 yards per carry; everyone else on the Packers has averaged 4.39.
“I like the progress,” Rodgers said on Monday when asked about the state of the running game. “Even more, I like when I turn around and I see ‘33’ in there and he’s making those cuts that we’re all used to seeing. You saw a couple of them today. He just has that little extra gear that we saw for a long time last year in training camp and, as the year went on, he obviously took off for us.”
