Packers: Three takeaways from Week 3 loss to Washington

1. Packers need to use Aaron Jones more

Head coach Mike McCarthy said Jamaal Williams and Ty Montgomery would be given opportunities ahead of Aaron Jones at running back this week. And he stuck to that.

But when Jones finally got his chance, he showed why he needs to be on the field more often. Jones turned six carries into 42 yards, averaging seven yards per carry. His longest run was for 17 yards.

Williams also ran well on his five carries, averaging 5.8 yards per run.

McCarthy loves Williams, and it’s understandable. Williams runs hard, can catch passes and is the Packers’ best back in pass protection. With Aaron Rodgers playing injured, that’s key.

But Jones is far and away the most explosive back on the roster. And he proved it right from his first carry against Washington. Jones turned a potential short gain into a 10-yard pickup to move the chains.

He looked great every time he touched the football, but McCarthy continued to rotate the backs and kept Jones on the sidelines. While Williams is strong in pass protection, one could argue Jones’ rushing ability is equally effective in cooling the pass rush. When he’s on the field, defenses always have to worry about a big run.

Had McCarthy given Jones 15 or more carries in this game, it could have been a different story.