The Green Bay Packers have fundamentally shifted their entire run game philosophy over the last couple of years, ever since Josh Jacobs stepped onto that roster. What we’re seeing on the field now is a stark departure from the scheme that defined Matt LaFleur’s early seasons, and honestly, the results are looking pretty rough.
From Zone Pioneers To A Roster Mismatch
For years, this Packers offense was all about zone blocking. LaFleur came from the storied Shanahan tree, coaching with Mike and Kyle Shanahan, working under Gary Kubiak, and even with Sean McVay. The common thread in all those stops? Heavy, heavy use of zone blocking, especially outside zone. When LaFleur hit Green Bay, it wasn’t even new territory for the franchise. Mike McCarthy had been running similar zone schemes for over a decade. The personnel was spot on, too. The front office had spent years drafting quicker, undersized offensive linemen perfect for zone, and Aaron Jones? He was basically designed in a lab for that system. And yeah, it clicked for a few years. But then David Bakhtiari’s brutal knee issues started to hit, and that offensive line just began to deteriorate.
The Great Experiment: Trying To Fit A Square Peg
After the 2023 season, the Packers made an active choice to switch things up. We actually saw them start cutting back on outside zone in 2023, instead leaning into pin-and-pull tosses and counter plays. These still demand athleticism from linemen, but they open up lanes for ball carriers in a totally different way, relying on vertical movement instead of trying to create those horizontal creases. The big push for this system change came from an offseason move before 2023: signing free agent Josh Jacobs and moving on from the aging Aaron Jones. Jacobs, bless his heart, doesn’t have that natural, gliding speed Jones did to make outside zone timing work. But he absolutely crushes it in those tighter, phone-booth spaces you need for inside zone, duo, power, and pretty much the whole “gap scheme” family. So what happened? The Packers ended up with an offensive line built for outside zone trying to run a duo back. They’ve spent the past two seasons trying to fix that problem. And let’s be real, the results have been pretty poor. They’ve tried signing Aaron Banks, drafting Anthony Belton, and even moving Sean Rhyan to center, all in an attempt to get bigger, stronger guys who can move bodies vertically. Through all this, Jordan Love stepped in at quarterback, and he’s different from his predecessor in ways that totally impact how this whole run game puzzle fits together.
The struggle is real right now for the Packers’ run game. They’ve made a huge shift, but they’re still stuck trying to marry a new philosophy with a line that might not be suited for it. Figuring out this run game identity is crucial, especially with Jordan Love trying to settle in. It’s on them to make this click, and fast, if they want to give their offense a real shot this season.
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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