The Green Bay Packers entered their Week 3 game against the Atlanta Falcons with the worst rushing attack in the NFL. Then, they gained just 17 yards on nine carries in their dreadful performance against Atlanta. Now, after three games, the Packers rushing attack isn’t just bad, it’s off to a start that ranks with the worst in Packers history and even NFL history. We examine just how bad the Packers running game has been so far, this season and if the team can do anything to fix it.
How Bad Is the Packers Running Game So Far: The Numbers
Through three games, the Packers rushing attack has gained a combined total of 146 yards. That is the lowest total through three games in franchise history. The next lowest was the 1994 team which had 169 yards rushing through their first three contests.
The 48.7 yards per game would also be the lowest in NFL history. The lowest average is the 2000 San Diego Chargers who averaged 66.4 yards per game. That’s a difference of more than 17 yards per game.
If you pro-rate that production over 17 games, the Packers would gain just 827 yards rushing as a team. The Packers single-season low for rushing yards as a team came back in 1951 when they gained 1,196 yards.
That would be the worst rushing total for a single season since the league measured rushing yards the way they do today, which started in 1947. The current record holders for fewest rushing yards in a season is the 1947 Boston Yankees who ran for 973 yards for the season. Of course, back then, they played only 12 games. The 2026 Packers are on pace to gain 150 fewer yards in five more games.
They are averaging just 3.0 yards per carry. That would also be the lowest total in franchise history. In 1977, the Packers offense averaged just 3.1-yards per carry. They did gain 1,464 yards that year because they ran the ball 469 times.
The Causes:
There are multiple causes for this problem. The biggest is poor run blocking by the offensive line. Last year, the run blocking was graded poorly by Pro Football Focus, and this year, it’s worse. The team now knows they will be without their best run blocking offensive lineman, Zach Bako-Bewele, for the rest of the season. They also know left guard Aaron Banks has tendonitis in his knee. Thus far, Banks has played one half of one game. This condition could be chronic and may be a factor all season.
The other three offensive linemen entered this season with less than 10 combined starts at their current positions in their NFL careers. The team has suffered from a lack of continuity at guard and poor play across the offensive line. This line cannot open up holes for the running game and has struggled mightily in pass protection.
Meanwhile, the Packers remain without starting running back Josh Jacobs. The NFL placed him on the commissioner’s reserve list after he was charged with two misdemeanors resulting from an incident that took place in May with his ex-girlfriend. Jacobs pleaded no contest just before the start of the season.
Because the judge declined to seal the records from the case, the video of the incident could be made public. That could encourage the NFL to suspend Jacobs for a longer period of time if the video is particularly damaging. We don’t know when, or if, Jacobs will be available this season.
Thus far, none of the other Packers runners have been able to do much without strong blocking in front of them.
How Bad Is the Packers Running Game So Far: Can It Be Fixed?
The Packers did make a move this weekend. They signed veteran guard Laken Tomlinson off the Cowboys practice squad. The former first-round pick of the Texans back in 2015 started 162 games in his career and earned Pro Bowl honors in 2021 when he was with the 49ers. He spent last season with the Texans.
Tomlinson won’t solve the Packers problems, but he will hopefully at least stabilize the line a little bit and make it more competent.
The Packers can also hope inexperienced players like Jacob Monk, Anthony Belton, and Jager Burton, can play better as they gain experience.
In addition, Jacobs could be back at some point, but unless the blocking improves, even Jacobs may have trouble adding much to this rushing attack.
Finally, Matt LaFleur has to change his play calling to create better opportunities for the rushing game. That may mean using tight ends or wide receivers on end arounds or jet sweeps or calling plays that emphasize the skill sets of whichever linemen and running backs are in the game.
It won’t be easy to fix, but unless the running game can at least be competent, the offense will struggle all season.
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