The Green Bay Packers hit the field against the Denver Broncos this past Friday, and while Jordan Love got his usual single drive of 12 snaps, the real story emerging from the first-team offense was their wild reliance on two-tight end sets. They ran a staggering 75 percent of their first-team snaps out of 12 personnel, totally flipping the script on what we might’ve expected. It felt like a deep dive back into Matt LaFleur’s early days, flashing that style he used when he was the offensive coordinator for the Los Angeles Rams.
Who’s Running the Rock and Catching the Ball
With Josh Jacobs sidelined with a groin injury, MarShawn Lloyd continued to lead the backfield, logging eight snaps with the first-team unit. He was the guy last week too, taking all nine snaps. This time, though, Chris Brooks, who was out last week with a hamstring issue, actually split some reps with Lloyd, getting four snaps himself. That’s a shift we gotta keep an eye on, showing Brooks is back in the mix and getting some looks.
At receiver, we saw Matthew Golden and Christian Watson both take nine snaps. Bo Melton got four snaps, Skyy Moore got three, and Savion Williams chipped in for two. It looks like the team is pretty much treating Skyy Moore as Jayden Reed’s backup in the slot, especially with Reed out due to an ankle injury. Melton is lining up as Matthew Golden’s backup at the X position, and Savion Williams is backing up Christian Watson on the Z. It’s a clear pecking order being established there early in the season.
That 12 Personnel Trend Is Real
Yeah, back to the two-tight end thing: Josh Whyle got 12 snaps and Drake Dabney had nine with the first unit. This wasn’t some fluke. Running 75 percent of their first-team snaps out of 12 personnel, primarily with outside zone runs and bootlegs on base downs, tells you a lot. It screams back to that early LaFleur offense, the one he ran right after his Rams stint. It makes you wonder if that’s why they’re looking for different types of players at guard compared to last year when they were all about that vertical running game. Whyle’s played 20 total snaps with the first-team offense already, so this isn’t a one-off for him either. This offensive identity is something they’re actively working on.
So, what’s next for the Packers? Head coach Matt LaFleur said the starters are expected to get some serious action in their upcoming joint practice against the Arizona Cardinals. It’ll be a cool family affair too, with LaFleur’s little brother coaching the Cardinals. After that, the plan is to rest the starters for the final preseason game of 2026. This joint practice is gonna be huge to see if this 12 personnel look is a genuine early season trend they’ll carry into games that matter, or just some preseason experimenting. Get ready for some real insights, folks!
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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