<
>

Packers search for right mix of Davante Adams, Aaron Jones and run game

GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Aaron Rodgers didn't elaborate much on what he meant when he suggested after Sunday's loss at the Los Angeles Chargers that the Green Bay Packers failed to handle their time in California well.

The only thing he said Wednesday that was new was, "I wasn't calling out anybody specifically. I was just saying that there was obviously something that threw us off a little bit energetically, and we've just got to fix that for our next trip."

But Rodgers did expound on what he thinks the Packers need to do to get their offense back on track after how badly it sputtered in the 26-11 loss that snapped a four-game win streak -- all without Pro Bowl receiver Davante Adams.

Despite Adams' return from his turf-toe injury, it wasn't more Adams that Rodgers pined for on Wednesday.

"Yeah, we'd love to get Davante going, but we can't get away from what's got us to this point, especially the last three, four games before last Sunday," Rodgers said.

That means Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams.

The running back tandem carried the Packers in Adams' absence.

Without Adams in Weeks 5-8, Jones totaled 551 yards from scrimmage (second among all players), and Williams put up 203 yards (70th in the NFL). Jones temporarily took over the NFL's touchdown lead with 11 (eight rushing, three receiving) after his two-touchdown-catch game against the Chiefs.

"We need to get them the touches," Rodgers said. "We've got to get Aaron 15-20 touches and Jamaal 10-15 touches. I think that's when we're playing at our best, and Matt [LaFleur] knows that, and I think he said that as well. We just got kind of behind the sticks too many times and behind in the game, and it made us one-dimensional."

Indeed, LaFleur admitted that he should have gone more to Jones (nine touches) and Williams (eight) against the Chargers, though with a season-low 54 snaps on offense, it proved difficult to establish anything. Meanwhile, Rodgers targeted Adams 11 times (seven catches for 41 yards) in his return from injury.

"There's no doubt I was not patient enough with the game plan," LaFleur said.

In the process, Jones lost the touchdown lead to this week's opposing back, Carolina's Christian McCaffrey (13).

Although leading the league in touchdowns is one of Jones' season goals, he did not feel slighted by the lack of touches upon Adams' return.

"Through those couple weeks, we still found different ways to win, whether it be running the ball, throwing the ball," Jones said. "So just when I say [the Packers need to] ‘get back to us,' [that means] being explosive, not shooting ourselves in the foot and just out there having fun, when you can see all 11 guys out there having fun and enjoying it."

That's also fine with Adams, who said that despite his right big toe being healed, he "wouldn't quite say I'm quite there yet."

"We've been able to move the ball since I've been out, so the focus shouldn't change on how we're trying to do things," Adams said. "Obviously, me being a big part of the offense, I'm going to get more looks here and there, and I'm going to do what I can with that, make the biggest impact I can for the team.

"It's not about me being back, so nothing should change as far as how we try to beat teams. It's not going to be some crazy air attack and have 15 targets every game. If that happens, I'll do what I can with it. But other than that, we'll let everybody else do what they've got to do to get that victory."