Packers: Ground game key to victory vs. Rams in Week 8

The Green Bay Packers will need to run the ball successfully against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 8.

Both the Packers and Rams are among the league leaders in time of possession this season.

Green Bay has held possession for an average of 31:50 per game, slightly ahead of Los Angeles’ 31:44, according to TeamRankings.com.

Time of possession won’t be the factor that decides who wins when these two teams meet in Week 8, but if the Packers can control the tempo of the game, they will have a chance to pull off the upset.

The number one priority for the Packers is, of course, to score touchdowns rather than field goals. But another target should be to take time off the clock.

Sustaining long drives was a key for the Packers during the “run the table” season. After starting the year 4-6, Green Bay won eight games in a row all the way to the NFC Championship Game.

Take the win at Philadelphia as an example. This game started the run.

The Packers’ held the ball for over 10 minutes longer than the Eagles, including a 17-play, 78-yard drive that resulted in a field goal and took 8:21 off the clock in the fourth quarter. It effectively ended the game.

That evening, the Packers went into a tough environment on the road after losing four in a row. But they controlled the game throughout and won comfortably.

The “run the table” stretch didn’t always follow this formula. The Packers scored quickly and easily in blowout victories over the Seahawks and Vikings. But when they needed to, the Packers were able to take time off the clock and continue to score points.

In the 2016 season finale at Detroit, the Packers entered halftime down 14-10 in a game for the division crown.

They kicked off the third quarter with a 10-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. They also put together a 10-play, 81-yard touchdown drive to take the game away from the Lions, and then held the ball for another 11 plays, taking five minutes off the clock and adding seven more to the points tally.

Green Bay’s best chance at Los Angeles might be to try and slow things down, rather than speed up. Even with Aaron Rodgers, the Rams will be heavy favorites the moment this becomes a high-scoring game.

The Rams defense has been solid, but not great this year.

While they’ve only given up 100.1 rushing yards per game, good for the 12th-best run defense in the league, that doesn’t tell the full story.

The Rams are giving up 4.7 yards per carry, tied for sixth most. But they’ve also had to defend just 148 rushing attempts, eighth fewest.

Stats can be interpreted in a number of ways, but to me this says the Rams are getting ahead in games and forcing their opponents to become one-dimensional.

With Rodgers, and possibly a returning Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison, the Packers have the talent to move the ball and score against this Rams defense.

That could allow them to commit to the run throughout the game, something Mike McCarthy is yet to do this season.

Aaron Jones could be an X-factor in this game if McCarthy just gives him the opportunity. Averaging 5.9 yards per carry this season, Jones has been far and away the most efficient back on the team.

Jones has only been given 17 or more carries in a game twice in his career. Both times, he dominated.

In his breakout performance against the Cowboys last season, Jones carried 19 times for 125 yards and a touchdown. Two weeks later, he had 17 attempts for 131 yards and a touchdown against the Saints.

The Packers won’t be expected by many to pull off the upset win against the undefeated Rams this week. But if they can sustain long, scoring drives, they can give themselves a chance.

Running the ball will help them do that. And for that to work, McCarthy must give Jones a featured role.