Aaron Jones has been limited recently
Aaron Jones was considered one of the Green Bay Packers’ best offensive players at the start of the season. Many fans have felt the Pro Bowl running back should have had more carries this season. Head coach Matt LaFleur said multiple times in postgame press conferences that Jones should have been given the ball more. A new report sheds light as to why he hasn’t been fed the football as much in recent games.
Jones has run the ball 187 times this season for 962 yards and two touchdowns. During the Packers’ most recent game on Christmas Day in Miami, Jones ran the ball just six times and was targeted in the passing game twice.
According to a recent report by Matt Schneidman with The Athletic, Jones has been dealing with multiple injuries since playing the Detroit Lions in Week 9. He’s been limited at some point in practice each week since the loss, and he’s accumulated ankle, shin, glute, and knee injuries from that week on.
According to Schneidman’s report, Aaron Jones’ recent lack of touches has been purposeful:
“This time, Jones’ lack of touches wasn’t because of coaching negligence, like it was when he touched the ball only eight times against the Vikings in Week 1.
“It’s a long season, so you’re gonna get banged up,” Jones told The Athletic on Thursday. “That’s the part of the game that you’re signing up for, but just pushing through it and being out there for my teammates that are depending on me. If I’m able to go, I’m out there. Unless something that comes up where I can’t — broken or things like that — that’s the only time you won’t see me out there, but I’ll push through anything to be out there with my guys and even though some things may hurt, still pushing through it and give it the best that I can while I’m out there.”
The Packers still need to run the ball
While Aaron Jones might be limited in the latter half of the season due to injury, the Packers have still made questionable decisions on offense. The third-and-one against the Chicago Bears, where Aaron ROdgers threw a low-percentage deep pass to Allen Lazard sticks out, as Matt LaFleur wanted to blame the officials for his play call. So does a wasted opportunity on the third and three against the Tennessee Titans.
Jones needs to get the ball as much as possible with injuries. But the Packers have a great backup running back in AJ Dillon. They need to use him correctly here in the next two games. The Packers don’t have room for error like they did earlier this season when they threw games away.
