Milwaukee Journal Sentinel - Packer Plus
EXTRA POINT Respect shown to run game sets tone on first play
Green Bay — The first play of the game Sunday for the Green Bay Packers was borne out of their play in the season opener against Chicago, and it portended what was to come throughout the 2116 victory over Minnesota.
To open the game, tight end Marcedes Lewis set up just off right tackle Bryan Bulaga’s hip and Aaron Jones was alone behind Aaron Rodgers. Tight end Robert Tonyan motioned in tight next to left tackle David Bakhtiari.
Minnesota defensive coordinator George Edwards responded to the Packers’ opening personnel group with his base 4-3 defense and Cover 2 coverage from his safeties. At the snap, Lewis cut across the line of scrimmage to his left as the entire line and Tonyan crashed down the line to their right. Rodgers turned his shoulders immediately to hand off to Jones.
The entire Vikings front seven followed.
By the time the linebackers realized it was play-action, Davante Adams was already behind them and free and clear of the dropped safeties.
“The threat of having (Jones) back there, I think that had something (to do with it),” Adams said. “Even though we didn’t run the ball the way we could have last week, they knew what we were capable of doing, so they had to respect it.”
Adams’ route was designed specifically to beat the coverage they knew the Vikings would present, but the Packers were also confident in the action despite having just rushed for 2.1 yards per carry against the Bears. The Packers believed their Chicago tape would force the Vikings to bite just enough to open that play — and the offense — up.
“It means a lot knowing they respect the run game that much, especially after the week we had last week. That’s a big thing,” Jones said.
The opening call set the tone for the game thereafter as the Packers handed the ball off 32 times for 144 yards for 4.4 yards per carry. There was nearly a 5050 balance on the ledger for head coach Matt LaFleur as Rodgers dropped back 37 times.
“It’s just us helping out the pass,” running back Jamaal Williams said. “If you can do both — I mean it’s great to be good at one and be able to do that all the time — but defenses are always looking to try and stop that now. Once you’re balanced, then that’s when you really put the pressure on defenses. They’ve got to choose.”