The Green Bay Packers carry strong odds to join the postseason field heading into Week 13. Still, it's not lost on Packers fans that something is missing from giving the team the Super Bowl aspirations they seemed destined for earlier this season.
Green Bay needs to find something, particularly on offense, that can give them an edge in the playoffs. Certainly, the return of injured stars like Jayden Reed will assist on that front. But it's what the Packers lost for their Week 12 matchup with the Minnesota Vikings that presented them with a bold opportunity to find that edge.
Josh Jacobs missed that game, and in his stead, Emanuel Wilson had a career day, going over the century mark for the first time in his career (and the first Packer to do so this season) while also punching in two 1-yard touchdowns. After such a performance, it would be detrimental to the Packers' goals this season to simply let Wilson settle back into a reserved role.
Packers can't let Emanuel Wilson's role in the offense fade once Josh Jacobs returns
Before Week 12, Wilson didn't have a game in his career with more than 15 touches. On Sunday, he had 30, and it proved to be his most productive outing in the NFL to date.
Of course, Wilson's reserve role came by honestly as a third-year undrafted player from Fort Valley State. But after showing over the course of the past two seasons that he can be effective in relief of Jacobs, an increased workload down the stretch could be just what the Packers need to take some pressure off their passing game.
This is far from an indictment of quarterback Jordan Love. Rather, it's an indictment of the play-calling, which Packers fans have had plenty of justified gripes with this season. Still, as the weather turns colder, the teams that run the ball best tend to find success in the postseason, and if the Packers just found a two-headed rushing attack, they'll be set up for success in December and January.
There's an opportunity here for the Packers to lean on both backs and set the entire offense up for success rather than sticking with a formula that has yielded frustrating results all season long. Green Bay has the sixth-most rushing attempts in the NFL this season, but is just 15th in yards. Giving Wilson more opportunities could be the fix in the ground game Green Bay needs.
Wilson offered the suggestion himself after Sunday's win over the Vikings.
"Hopefully we'll be the 1-2 [punch], and we'll continue to go on a run," Wilson said.
As ESPN's Rob Demovsky pointed out, Green Bay ran 65 offensive plays, and 42 of them stayed on the ground. That helped out the defense, as the Packers won the time of possession by nearly a full quarter of game time. Leaning on the ground game, where they've averaged 4.0 yards per carry all season, even with unspectacular rushing totals, can get the play-action game working for the offense, making Love's job that much easier.
With Jacobs returning for the Thanksgiving date against the Detroit Lions, it's a perfect chance to put the 1-2 punch idea to the test. The Lions carry the NFL's 10th-ranked rushing defense, aided by the few attempts their defense has faced, ranking 15th for fewest attempts, but they allow an average of 3.9 yards per carry.
If Green Bay can provide proof of concept, they can ride the strategy through the postseason, where it just might pay off the most. After the improvements and production Wilson has provided this season, he's earned the shot, and passing on the opportunity is a risk the Packers ought not entertain.