Packers Snap Counts: Thank goodness for Aaron Jones

Green Bay’s passing offense has been more like a mosh pit than a ballet in recent weeks – and yet the beat goes on for the Packers.

While the Packers haven’t had much success through the air in 2019, and especially so in the second half of the season, they keep winning. Green Bay locked up the NFC North title and are poised for a first-round bye – and perhaps the top seed in the conference – if it can knock off lowly Detroit in the final regular-season game.

That’s thanks in part to a defense which has allowed more than 16 points just twice in the last seven games (both of which were losses as the offense combined for 19 points in those two affairs). But it’s also in part thanks to running back Aaron Jones.

Jones rushed for 154 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries in Monday night’s 23-10 win over rival Minnesota. With the passing game struggling, Jones played his second-most snaps – 68% (52 plays in total) – of the season (he only played more in Week 4 against Philadelphia).

With quarterback Aaron Rodgers now regular putting up pedestrian numbers – in the recent seven-game stretch he has a high of 243 passing yards (against a moribund Giants defense) and has just one multi-touchdown game (also against New York), with two, including Monday night, with no TDs – Jones has been a stalwart. Jones had two TDs last week in a 21-13 win over Chicago, 134 yards on the ground and a score in a 0-13 win over Washington in Week 15 and 93 yards and three TDs in a 24-16 victory over Carolina. He gained under 40 yards rushing and didn’t reach the end zone in losses to the Chargers and 49ers.

Other notes from Monday’s snap counts:

— Speaking of the offense … wide receivers Davante Adams (16 targets, 13 receptions) and Allen Lazard (nine targets, five receptions) accounted for 25 of Rodgers’ 38 targets and 18 of his 26 completions. Besides the offensive linemen and quarterback, the pair received the most playing time on offense. Adams had 62 snaps (81%) and Lazard 58 (75%).

— Tight ends Jimmy Graham and Marcedes Lewis each had 41 snaps (53%) and just one target and catch. Robert Tonyan had 23 snaps (30%) but was not targeted.

— The three other wide receivers who played – Geronimo Allison (33 snaps), Jake Kumerow (28 snaps) and Marquez Valdes-Scantling (11 snaps) – combined for four targets and one reception.

— Linebacker Preston Smith played all but one snap. The 98% playing time was his most since the opener, when he also appeared in 98% of the plays. Smith had topped 90% just one other time, in Week 14 vs. Washington (90%). He had three tackles, .5 TFL and a quarterback hit vs. the Vikings.

— Defensive tackle Kenny Clark played 50 snaps (93%), just his third time reaching 90+% this season and the first time since Week 6 against Detroit. It was his second-highest percentage of the season, topped only by 97% in Week 4 vs. the Eagles. He finished with four tackles, a sack and a pass defensed.