The Green Bay Packers offense operated differently a year ago. Because of injuries suffered by the team at key positions, head coach Matt LaFleur needed to change the focus of his attack. While this was an unconventional approach, it worked well, and the team finished the season in the top 10 in the NFL in both points scored and total yards gained. But now, a year later, Packers coach Matt LaFleur knows the team needs to improve in this area and get closer to where they were a year ago.
Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Knows the Team Needs to Improve in This Area: Last Season
In 2024, quarterback Jordan Love suffered a knee injury in the season opener against the Eagles in Brazil. The injury caused him to miss two full games and compromised his ability to escape pressure and throw with accuracy.
As a result, LaFleur placed a higher emphasis on the running game. Josh Jacobs led the way and quickly became the focal point of the Packers offense. Jacobs gained 1,329 yards on 301 carries while running for 15 touchdowns.
The Green Bay offense finished fifth in the NFL in rushing yards, averaging 146.8 yards per game and 4.7 yards per carry. Each of the top three runners were very productive. Jacobs averaged 4.4 yards per carry, backup Emanuel Wilson averaged 4.9-yards per carry, while Chris Brooks gained 5.1-yards per attempt.
Opposing defenses emphasized stopping Jacobs and the Packers rushing attack. They often put eight defenders in the box or played a base defense more frequently. This helped open things up for the Green Bay passing attack.
This Season Has Been Different
Through the first seven games of 2025, things have changed. The running game has been average at best, while the passing attack has thrived. Through seven games, the Packers rank 16th in the league with 114.1 yards per game on the ground, more than 32 yards per game less than the previous season. Meanwhile, the passing game ranks 7th in the league.
There are several reasons for this change. First, Love has been healthy with the exception of a thumb injury on his non-throwing hand suffered during the preseason. Meanwhile, Jacobs has struggled through several injuries that have hampered his performance. He has to be effective in the red zone and has scored nine touchdowns, but he’s averaging just 3.6 yards per carry, nearly a full yard less than he did a season ago.
There have also been changes and injuries along the offensive line. Elgton Jenkins moved from left guard to center with mixed results. The team signed Aaron Banks to play left guard in place of Jenkins. He has also missed time due to injuries. Meanwhile, right tackle Zach Tom, who Pro Football Focus graded as the team’s top run blocker last season, has been in and out of the lineup. Sean Rhyan and Jordan Morgan have split time at right guard.
Packers Coach Matt LaFleur Knows the Team Needs to Improve in This Area: The Coach Speaks
During his press conference on Wednesday, LaFleur addressed the struggles of the rushing attack this season. First, he addressed mental errors and a lack of communication.
“It’s always a concern if you have mental mistakes,” LaFleur admitted. “It’s not like there were a ton of them, but when they show up, yeah. Typically, I would say in a normal NFL game that some of that happens, especially if you’re motioning a lot, just how defenses react to that. But you’ve got to make sure you pass that communication along. Certainly, there’s challenges when you’re on the road to doing that versus when you’re at home. Hopefully, we can get all that stuff cleaned up and we can get this run game going a little.”
LaFleur refused to blame Jacobs and stressed the need for better blocking and play calling. “We’ve just got to do a better job around him, making sure that he’s got premium looks,” LaFleur continued. “Some were play calls, others were just, we didn’t block the right people. And it’s going to be hard to run the ball whether you’re mis-targeting or you don’t get a block on the perimeter. There was a situation where we didn’t insert (block) on a safety, and it’s right at the point of attack. So, I don’t care what back is in there, it’s just hard if you’re not all targeted right.”
Ultimately, as the weather gets colder and the games become more important in the second half of the season, the Packers will have to get their running game in gear. No doubt Jacobs remains capable, but the execution and the blocking need to improve to return to a high level of productivity. The season may depend on it.
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