Don’t look now, but the Green Bay Packers are playing better than they have in two decades. Green Bay’s rushing offense has been virtually unstoppable through the first six weeks of the 2024 season and currently ranks No. 2 overall, averaging 167.2 yards per game.
The Packers haven’t been this dominant since they finished third in 2003, when Ahman Green set a up-to-date franchise record for rushing yards in a season with 1,883. Since then, they have only made the top ten twice.
Green Bay’s ground game has been in good hands this season with free agent addition Josh Jacobs. The 2022 rushing leader has done an adequate job replacing Aaron Jones, who currently ranks fifth overall with 463 rushing yards while averaging 4.3 yards per carry.
Of course, Jacobs can’t take all the credit. Emanuel Wilson was the perfect complement to the RB2 spot, adding 210 yards on 42 carries (5.0 average). For the most part, Wilson kept the rushing attack firing on all cylinders when Jacobs was off the field.
But any productive defender will tell you that they rely on their blocking. Overall, the Packers offensive line has done a decent job of opening up holes and generating movement on offense at times, but can definitely improve. According to Pro Football Focus, right tackle Zach Tom ranks 11th in run-blocking out of 173 offensive linemen who have logged at least 50 run-blocking snaps this season. None of Green Bay’s remaining starters are even ranked in the top 20.
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While there is certainly room for improvement, the fact that the rushing attack was so effective despite not taking full advantage of the offensive line is a testament to the contributions of everyone on offense.
“I think our defenders are doing a great job. It was a full effort and the offensive line certainly can’t just take credit for it,” Myers said. “The receivers did an unbelievable job of blocking, playing tight ends, and the linebackers are playing extremely demanding. The passing game is going really well, so it was just a team effort.
Blocking is a must-have for any receiver looking to catch passes for the Packers. So far they have managed to hold on to their endgame.
It also helps to have one of the best play-callers in the NFL. Matt LaFleur runs a sophisticated scheme that uses movement and mispositioning to give ball carriers favorable looks and a flight into space. He’s also not afraid to pass the ball to some of his more volatile receivers. Bo Melton has carried the ball four times for 35 yards this season, and quarterback Jayden Reed has totaled 110 yards on nine attempts and leads the entire NFL with 12.2 yards per carry.
When you have so many options, the defense will never know who will be next.
“I think it’s another piece we can add to our offense that will keep the defense healthy,” Myers said. “It’s something different that they have to game plan for and be ready for, so yeah, all that stuff is just really helpful.”
Can Green Bay keep it up? This is the most vital question. Their schedule is about to get tougher, starting with Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans and then in two weeks against the Detroit Lions, who boast the third-ranked run defense. If they move the ball effectively over the next few weeks, their rushing attack could be as good as the numbers suggest.
