Packers Snap Counts: Jones takes workhorse role after Williams’ injury

The MVP campaign of Aaron Rodgers took a back seat to the Aaron Jones Show during Green Bay’s 24-16 victory over Carolina on Saturday.

Rodgers completed 20 of 29 pass attempts for a season-low 143 yards and a score. Meanwhile, Jones took a season-high 20 carries for 145 yards and a score while also catching three passes for 13 yards. He played 56 of Green Bay’s 62 offensive snaps – good for a 90% share of the backfield work, his highest clip of the season. Jones’ previous high was when he was on the field for 71% of the snaps in Week 3.

The reason for the big uptick in work? Jamaal Williams, the Robin to Jones’ Batman, was injured in the first half and exited with a quad injury. Williams played just four snaps before getting hurt, logging one rush for six yards and two catches for 14 yards.

Jones did most of his damage in the first half, rushing 12 times for 114 yards (9.5 average) and a score. But he was the only Packers tailback to get a carry in the second half, even with Williams out.

It was a bit surprising to see AJ Dillon not get more work as the reserve. Dillon carried the ball once for 18 yards, but that occurred in the first half. Dillon was on the field for five snaps (8%). It was his first time seeing the field on offense since Week 8.

Other notes from Saturday’s snap counts:

— For the sixth straight week, safety Adrian Amos played 100% of the defensive snaps. He tallied seven tackles, one quarterback hit, one sack and three pass deflections against Carolina.

— Davante Adams caught seven passes for 42 yards while playing 60 of Green Bay’s 62 offensive snaps (97%) against Carolina. However, he did not score, snapping his streak of eight straight games with a receiving touchdown, which ranks third behind Jerry Rice in 1987 (12 consecutive games) and A.J. Green in 2012 (nine consecutive games).

— Preston Smith picked up his fourth sack of the season while appearing in 52 of the Packers’ 69 defensive snaps (75%). Williams had just 0.5 sacks over the first eight games of the season, but he’s turned it up a notch with 3.5 sacks in his last six contests.

— Marquez Valdes-Scantling was targeted just once and did not haul in a catch despite playing 65% of the snaps.

— We predicted Allen Lazard would have a breakout game in our Packers fantasy football roundup last week. Although he didn’t score, Lazard was Green Bay’s top receiver with 56 yards on five catches.

WEEK 15: VS. PANTHERS (OFFENSE)