Green Bay Packers

StaTuesday: Packers' Montgomery makes a splash against Chicago

Published Dec. 20, 2016 2:33 p.m. ET

Ryan Lund

Green Bay Packers running back Ty Montgomery eludes Chicago Bears cornerback Tracy Porter for a four-yard touchdown run.

Green Bay Packers running back Ty Montgomery still wears No. 88, a lasting reminder of his rapid rise this season.

Originally a backfield fill-in after spending the entirety of his brief NFL career as a wide receiver, Montgomery has emerged as the unexpected savior of the Packers' running game.

He now has 390 rushing yards and 314 receiving yards in just four starts, but if this production continues into next season and beyond, his performance against the Chicago Bears in Week 15 will be remembered as his coming-out party as a running back.

Montgomery rushed for 162 yards and two touchdowns on just 16 attempts, averaging a whopping 10.1 yards per carry. Since 1950, it was the 10th-best rushing average by a Packers player (minimum 10 carries) and fourth-best for those with 15-plus carries.

Player	Date	Opponent	Carries	Yards	Avg
Billy Grimes	Oct. 8, 1950	Giants	10	167	16.70
Terdell Middleton	Oct. 1, 1978	Lions	11	148	13.45
Keith Woodside	Dec. 17, 1989	Bears	10	116	11.60
Brandon Jackson	Oct. 10, 2010	Redskins	10	115	11.50
James Starks	Oct. 18, 2015	Chargers	10	112	11.20
Ahman Green	Dec. 28, 2003	Broncos	20	218	10.90
Ahman Green	Oct. 24, 2004	Cowboys	15	163	10.87
Tobin Rote	Nov. 18, 1951	Bears	14	150	10.71
Howie Ferguson	Oct. 2, 1955	Bears	15	153	10.20
Ty Montgomery	Dec. 18, 2016	Bears	16	162	10.13

It was the most yards by a Packers running back since 2008, when Ryan Grant rushed for 201 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the Seattle Seahawks.

Player	Date	Opponent	Carries	Yards
Ahman Green	Dec. 28, 2003	Broncos	20	218
Ryan Grant	Jan. 12, 2008	Seahawks	27	201
Ahman Green	Nov. 10, 2003	Eagles	29	192
Dorsey Levens	Nov. 23, 1997	Cowboys	33	190
Jim Taylor	Dec. 3, 1961	Giants	27	186
Najeh Davenport	Nov. 29, 2004	Rams	19	178
Ahman Green	Sept. 29, 2003	Bears	19	176
Samkon Gado	Dec. 11, 2005	Lions	29	171
Ahman Green	Nov. 4, 2001	Buccaneers	24	169
Billy Grimes	Oct. 8, 1950	Giants	10	167
Jim Taylor	Dec. 13, 1964	Rams	17	165
Jim Taylor	Oct. 14, 1962	Vikings	17	164
Ahman Green	Oct. 24, 2004	Cowboys	15	163
Darick Holmes	Nov. 29, 1997	Eagles	26	163
Ty Montgomery	Dec. 18, 2016	Bears	16	162

Montgomery's big game was just the ninth example of a Packers running back rushing for at least 150 yards and two touchdowns since 1950.

Player	Date	Opponent	Carries	Yards	TDs
Jim Taylor	Oct. 15, 1961	Browns	21	158	4
Jim Taylor	Dec. 3, 1961	Giants	27	186	2
Jim Taylor	Oct. 21, 1962	49ers	17	160	2
Ahman Green	Sept. 9, 2001	Lions	17	157	2
Ahman Green	Sept. 29, 2003	Bears	19	176	2
Ahman Green	Dec. 28, 2003	Broncos	20	218	2
Ahman Green	Oct. 24, 2004	Cowboys	15	163	2
Ryan Grant	Jan. 12, 2008	Seahawks	27	201	3
Ty Montgomery	Dec. 18, 2016	Bears	16	162	2

And it could have been an even bigger day.

Montgomery was limited to a relatively-meager 16 carries against the Bears, the second-fewest on the list, while rushing for 10.1 yards per carry.

His pace would have probably slowed as his carry-count increased, but it's hard not to wonder what could have been had Montgomery been given the workload of a bell-cow back like Grant, Green or Taylor.

Maybe we'll find out in these final two weeks (and possibly the postseason).