Emmanuel Wilson became the Green Bay Packers first 100 yard rusher of the season in their 23-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings. In the absence of Josh Jacobs, Wilson’s success suffocated the Vikings in the second half by controlling the ball and the clock. His success was partially due to changes in the personnel on the Packers offensive line.
Rookie Anthony Belton finds a new home
Anthony Belton, the second round rookie from North Carolina, had only played as a backup tackle before Sunday. However, following a comment from Matt Lafleur that he was getting interior reps, he rotated at right guard with Jordan Morgan.
The move to the interior was not surprising, only that it had happened so late in his rookie season. Nicknamed “Escalade,” Belton is 6’6” and 336 lbs and fits the body type of a typical guard more closely than a tackle.
On drives where Belton replaced Morgan, the Packers running backs ran for 86 of their 128 total yards as well as Wilson’s second touchdown. This performance kept Belton at guard for 7 drives to Morgan’s 2. “Escalade’s” massive frame and strength moved defenders effectively for the Packers offensive line.
The successful 6
Another strategy employed by the Packers offensive line was to add an extra man. This is a choice that is growing popular for teams who want to boost their running game across the league. Although this is a recent addition to Matt Lafleur’s playbook, it’s use is expanding on the Packers playbook.
This week, the Packers had Darian Kinnard, the backup tackle, on the field for 20 total snaps. On those 20 snaps, the Packers ran for over 5 yards per carry; well above the average for the rest of the game. Given this success, Packers fans should not be surprised to hear “reported as eligible” commonly during offensive drives for the rest of the season.
Going forward
In light of the success on the ground against Minnesota, it is exciting to think that this happened without the Packers top running back. Josh Jacobs is likely to return sooner rather than later and will get a chance to run behind an improved Packers offensive line. If line continues to play like they did on Sunday, the Packers offense can reclaim the threat of pounding the rock as temperatures drop.
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