With the Green Bay Packers driving in overtime against the New York Jets on September 20, 2026, facing 1st & 10 at the 22-yard line, they dialed up their now-signature “Dash motion” with Matthew Golden for what felt like a game-winning moment. Trey Smack had been perfect, going 3 for 3 on field goals and extra points, but the team was pushing for a shorter kick, or more.
The Dash Concept: A League-Wide Nuisance
This “Dash motion” is becoming a real headache for defenses across the league. We’ve seen it pop up a ton this season already. It’s a slow, arcing motion behind the line that shifts towards the line at the snap, all to set up a block. Over the first two weeks, Green Bay hit this motion 10 times, running on 8 of those for an average gain of 6.5 yards. They’ve stuck to the same power concept every single time, with the Dash motion man kicking out the End Man on Line, the right guard pulling as a lead blocker, and the rest of the line blocking down. It’s deceptively simple, but deadly effective.
Adapting to the Defense, Week to Week
What’s wild is how Green Bay is adapting this concept week to week. Last week against the Vikings, Green Bay capitalized on Minnesota’s tendency to blitz the backside by hitting a backside slant to Matthew Golden. This week versus the Jets, they switched it up. They put a “Bubble” tag on the backside receiver for *every* Dash play. The Jets tried to counter: if they had a man tight to Golden, that defender would align outside and shadow the bubble. If they were in off coverage, the safety over Golden would slide to shadow the bubble motion. Green Bay was clearly setting up something specific.
The Overtime Play’s Crucial Setup
That brings us to the biggest play of the day. After stopping the Jets’ first overtime possession, the Packers found themselves in a crucial situation. They lined up in 12 personnel, that’s one running back, two tight ends, and two wide receivers, in a perfectly balanced set. Matthew Golden [0] was split wide left, Christian Watson [9] wide right, and Mark Redman [86] was one of the tight ends. The Jets’ defensive alignment on Golden was telling: the cornerback was shaded to his inside shoulder, and the safety was playing on the hash. Redman started his Dash motion, triggering the play, and at the snap, Golden bubbled out. This defensive setup on Golden was important, and it looked like the Packers were about to exploit it big time.
We didn’t get to see the immediate result of that final play call as the article cut off, but the setup was brilliant. Green Bay’s ability to evolve the “Dash motion” from week to week, especially with the backside receiver’s route, shows they’re always thinking one step ahead. How other teams defend this going forward, and what other variations the Packers pull out of their bag, will be fascinating to watch as the season unfolds. You know coaches around the league are pouring over this film right now.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Acme Packing Company.
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