Packers Week 13 Snap Counts: Green Bay actually played complementary football

For the first time in a long time, the Packers got contributions from all three phases together in the fourth quarter against the Bears.

All three phases of the football team did their part for the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, particularly in the fourth quarter. That’s a big reason why the team was able to overcome a 19-10 deficit to start the final period, outscoring the Chicago Bears 18-0 to claim a 28-19 victory.

The offense scored on all three series in the fourth, putting up two touchdowns and a field goal. The defense forced a field goal attempt and delivered a pair of crucial interceptions. And the special teams even had a big play, as Dean Lowry blocked that Bears field goal attempt to help keep the score especially close early in the frame.

This is arguably just the second time this team has delivered a complete fourth-quarter performance all season, with the other coming in a comeback win over the the Dallas Cowboys three weeks ago. It’s something that has been missing for this team all season long up until that point, a major reason why their record is now 5-8 instead of something more like 8-5.

Here are the snap counts from Sunday’s win.

OFFENSE (66 total plays)

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers 66

Rodgers has historically lit up the Bears, and although he did not put up gaudy numbers in this game, he had enough timely throws to ensure that the Packers got the W, particularly in the fourth quarter. He finished the day 18-for-31 for 182 yards and a touchdown, but his best throws came in some big moments. For example, his touchdown was to Christian Watson on 4th down just before the end of the first half, while he came up with a few other nice throws in the fourth quarter to help set up the Packers’ go-ahead and pull-ahead scores.

Running Backs

AJ Dillon 45, Aaron Jones 25, Patrick Taylor 6

The Packers used Jones sparingly in this game, keeping him out for some long spells due to a shin issue. As a result, Dillon got his biggest workload of the season, seeing 21 total touches and turning them into 119 total yards from scrimmage. Dillon added a 21-yard touchdown, the score that pulled the Packers back within two early in the fourth quarter.

Jones finished the day with 26 rushing yards on 9 carries, adding 24 yards on five receptions. Taylor subbed in for Dillon a few times when Jones was out late, carrying the football once for six yards.

Wide Receivers

Allen Lazard 62, Christian Watson 61, Randall Cobb 33, Samori Toure 12, Sammy Watkins 7

The Lazard-Watson show continued, as it is becoming clear that Watson’s emergence comes at Sammy Watkins’ expense. Watkins has now played just 11 saps combined in his last two games after never being on the field for fewer than 21 when healthy in a previous game.

Of course, Watson deserves those snaps, as he recorded a pair of touchdowns once again on Sunday. His first came on fourth down just before the end of the first half to pull the Packers back within six points and his second slammed the door on the Bears with Green Bay clinging to a one-point lead. That end-around benefited from a great Watkins block — in fact, he threw nice blocks downfield on both Watson’s and Dillon’s scores.

Meanwhile, Lazard caught five of his six targets, picking up 67 yards and moving the chains on all five of them, with two coming on third downs.

Tight Ends

Robert Tonyan 34, Marcedes Lewis 28, Josiah Deguara 10, Tyler Davis 7

The Packers again got minimal receiving production out of the tight end position, with the unit combining for three targets, one catch, and 10 yards. That does not include Lewis’ catch on a two-point conversion attempt, however, which came on a great call by Matt LaFleur to put the Packers up by 9 points late.

Offensive Linemen

Zach Tom 66, Elgton Jenkins 66, Josh Myers 66, Jon Runyan, Jr. 66, Yosh Nijman 66

With David Bakhtiari unavailable due to an emergency appendectomy on Friday, Tom stepped in and played perhaps his best game as a rookie. The line as a whole did not allow a single hit or sack on Rodgers, as he frequently had tons of time in the pocket while also escaping on a few occasions to extend plays. The group also helped the Packers hit 175 yards on the ground, the sixth time this season that they have reached at least that number.

DEFENSE (52 total plays)

Defensive Linemen

Kenny Clark 39, Jarran Reed 36, Dean Lowry 26, T.J. Slaton 9, Devonte Wyatt 9

This game saw Clark record his second-lowest snap count all season, with the only game with fewer snaps coming in the first meeting against the Bears (36). He seemed to have a somewhat resurgent game, shedding blocks and making plays at the line of scrimmage in a way he hasn’t in recent weeks. Although the Packers did not record a sack on Justin Fields, Reed and Lowry each had a QB hit, with Lowry’s being an impressive, clean form tackle as he released the football.

Outside Linebackers

Preston Smith 41, Kingsley Enagbare 29, Jonathan Garvin 19, Justin Hollins 14

The Packers’ edge rushers were notably quiet in this game, as none of them recorded a hit or sack. Some of that was likely due to focusing on setting the edge in the run game and containing Fields’ running ability, however, and Smith led the group with five total tackles.

Inside Linebackers

De’Vondre Campbell 52, Quay Walker 52

Both of the Packers’ starting inside linebackers played every snap as the team eschewed Penny looks in favor of pure base or standard nickel groupings. Campbell looked slow in his return from injury, but he did lead the team in total tackles with 11. Walker struggled at times to read run fits once again, but he was not at fault for Fields’ long touchdown run, as his assignment was to take the running back on the read-option and let others deal with the quarterback. He did have a great tackle on Fields in open space, beating the quarterback to the sideline to stop him for no gain.

Safeties

Adrian Amos 52, Rudy Ford 52, Micah Abernathy 1

The Packers’ two safeties played every snap, with Ford continuing to start with or without Darnell Savage in the lineup. Neither made any huge plays in this game, as the big ones (both positive and negative) seemed to come from the cornerback unit.

Cornerbacks

Jaire Alexander 52, Rasul Douglas 52, Keisean Nixon 37

Indeed, all three of the Packers’ cornerbacks delivered a turnover play, with Douglas forcing a first-half fumble while both Alexander and Nixon intercepted Fields passes in the fourth quarter. Alexander gave up a pair of huge gains over the top earlier, one to Equanimeous St. Brown and one to N’Keal Harry. However, his pick was big, coming with the Packers leading by just a point and setting up the long Watson touchdown and ensuing two-point conversion to extend the Packers’ lead to nine. It was also his fourth of the season, extending a new career-high. Meanwhile, Nixon’s interception was the first of his career and allowed the Packers to kneel out the clock rather than keeping the Bears alive while down by two possessions.

SPECIAL TEAMS LEADERS

Dallin Leavitt 20, Tyler Davis 19, Innis Gaines 15, Isaiah McDuffie 15, Eric Wilson 15, Corey Ballantine 12, Josiah Deguara 12, Rasul Douglas 11, Tariq Carpenter 10, Mason Crosby 10

One notable item from special teams was the fact that Randall Cobb took the only punt return of the game for the Packers. Cobb picked up 15 yards on the return, resulting in a net of only 24 yards for the Bears on the play. Nixon remained back on kickoff returns and averaged 25.5 yards, though he took several out of the end zone.

The other big play on special teams was of course Lowry’s field goal block early in the fourth quarter, which kept the Packers within two points and allowed them to take a lead with a field goal of their own on the ensuing drive.