Green Bay Packers

Packers snap counts: Jones leaps into starting RB role

Published Oct. 24, 2017 11:58 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

Tom Dierberger

With quarterback Aaron Rodgers sidelined and Brett Hundley making his first career start under center, the Green Bay Packers needed an offensive weapon to emerge on Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

Rookie running back Aaron Jones answered the call on the first drive.



Jones rushed for 70 yards and a touchdown on the first six plays from scrimmage, giving Hundley a much-needed cushion and restoring faith in the sans-Rodgers offense.

He excelled the rest of the game, too. Jones finished with 131 yards on 17 attempts.

Jones played in 44 of Green Bay’s 55 snaps Sunday (80 percent), securing the starting running back role over receiver-turned-halfback Ty Montgomery, who was involved in just seven snaps and had five touches.

Montgomery started the first three games in the backfield with mixed results before suffering an injury in Week 4, rushing for just over three yards per carry but also catching 18 passes for 129 yards and a touchdown as quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ safety net.

In Jones’ three starts (Weeks 5-7), he’s recorded two 100-yard rushing games and is averaging 6.1 yards per carry with two touchdowns. Overall, Jones has 62 rushes for 346 yards.

The job is his.

Other notes from Sunday’s snap counts:

-- After missing eight plays against the Bears in Week 5, safety Ha Ha Clinton-Dix has played in every defensive snap since.

-- Fullback Aaron Ripkowski played in 14 snaps (25 percent), his highest total since Week 1 against the Seattle Seahaws.

-- Defensive tackle Mike Daniels continues to be a force on the line, recording three tackles and a quarterback hurry against New Orleans. He played in 70 percent of the snaps on Sunday, his highest percentage since suffering an injury in Week 2.

-- Despite Hundley making his NFL start Sunday, he didn’t set a career high in snaps. Hundley was under center for 58 snaps in Week 6 while taking over for Rodgers in the first quarter, compared to 55 on Sunday.

 

GAME 7: SAINTS (OFFENSE)

 

GAME 7: SAINTS (DEFENSE)

share

Get more from Green Bay Packers Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Green Bay Packers