Packers Week Eleven Snap Counts Versus The Colts

This was a tough game to lose.  Let us look at the snap counts once again to see how much the coaches are actually uses various players.  

Inactive Players Hollman, Love, Ervin, Garvin, M. Adams, P D. Kaser
Active/DNP Boyle, RB M. Weber
 

Note that the Packers only needed to make six players inactive for this game as they elevated just one player from the practice squad, meaning the Packers had only 47 players active.  If you are superstitious, Ken Ingalls noted that the Packers have lost every game they decided not to have full complement of 48 players active.  Ervin's absence made Shepherd the kick returner, although last week Malik Taylor returned a short kickoff.  Corey's Linsley's injury on the 3rd drive of the game caused the Packers to move Jenkins to center and to insert Runyan at left guard.  The absence of Montravius Adams meant that Billy Winn was active for this game.  Dillon and Barnes are on the Covid list.

Name Snaps % ST
Jenkins 60 100 5 - 16%0
Patrick 60 100 5 - 16%
Bakhtiari 60 100  
Turner 60 100  
Runyan 50 83 5 - 16%
Linsley 10 17  
Nijman     5 - 16%
Wagner     5 - 16%
       
Rodgers 60 100  
Boyle DNP    
       
Adams 57 95  
MVS 51 85  
Lazard 36 60  
St. Brown 15 25 2 - 6%
Shpherd 2 3 10 - 32%
M. Taylor DNP   16 - 52%
       
Tonyan 44 73 1 - 3%
Lewis 19 32  
Sternberger 16 27 10 - 32%
       
J. Williams 30 50 11 - 35%
Jones 30 50  
       
20 played Off.      

Jenkins stepped in pretty seamlessly at center when Linsley left the game on the third drive.  The line kept Rodgers' jersey very clean.  Rodgers was hit three times and sacked once against a good defensive line (and team for that matter).  Rodgers had a 110.7 passer rating with three touchdowns and one interception.  Runyan gave up three pressures.  The run game did not exactly hum overall and it was not very good in the second half.

The tight ends were efficient receivers, with Tonyan catching 5 passes on 5 targets for 44 yards, Sternberger catching three passes on three targets for 27 yards, and Lewis catching his only target for 8 yards.  Lewis was called for holding on a running play, though it was somewhat ticky tack.  Davante Adams had 106 yards on 7 receptions and 8 targets.  Valdes-Scantling caught 3 of 6 for 55 yards, but also drew a 47-yard pass interference call.  He also had the big fumble that sealed the game for the Colts.  St. Brown chipped in 1 reception for 23 yards.  Malik Taylor played a lot of special teams snaps but was not used as a wide receiver.  Shepherd played two snaps and had no receiving stats.

Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams each played 30 snaps, though both were on the field at times. Jones had 6 carries for 31 yards in the first half, a 5.2 yard average and his longer runs of 7 and 15 yards also came in the first half.  Jones' 2-yard touchdown run also came in the first half.  Jones carried the ball 4 times for 10 yards in the second half. 

Jamaal Williams carried the ball 5 times for 12 yards and caught a 4-yard touchdown pass, all in the first half.  A closer look reveals that on two 3rd and One plays, Williams gained 1 yard and 2 yards to get the first down and keep those drives alive (both of which ended in touchdowns).  On a third drive, the Packers had a second down and two; Williams gained 4 yards to get the first down to keep that drive alive.  The last drive noted also ended in a 5-yard TD pass to Davante Adams.  Casual fans will see 5 carries for just 12 yards, but I see Williams picking up tough yards on three separate drives, all of which ended up in touchdowns.  Williams did not have a carry or a reception in the second half.  That seems odd, but I suspect it is an anomaly: I would hazard a guess that Williams' number was called in the second half but the defense dictated a change.       

 
Name Snaps % STs
Amos 84 100  
Savage 84 100 2 - 6%
Alexander 84 100  
King 84 100 7 - 37%
Sullivan 73 87 12 - 39%
Greene 42 50 9 - 29%
Redmond 1 1 26 - 84%
Jackson     15 - 48%
Scott     14 - 45%
       
Kirksey 84 100 7 - 23%
Z. Smith 75 89  
P. Smith 67 80  
Gary 35 42 2 - 6%
Martin 22 25 14 - 45%
Summers 3 4 26 - 84%
Ramsey 3 4 26 - 84%
Burks     26 - 84%
Burgess     11 - 35%
       
Clark 64 76  
Lowry 44 52 12 - 39%
Lancaster 38 45 13 - 45%
Keke 31 37 9 - 29%
B. Winn 7 8 15 - 48%
23 Def players      

The first thing to notice is that the defense was on the field for 84 plays.  The Packers had their starting safeties and their preferred perimeter cornerbacks play every snap.  Sullivan, the slot corner, and Raven Greene, the Hybrid ILB both played heavy percentages of snaps compared to their usual amounts.  Phillip Rivers still ended up with a passer rating of 107.2.  Amos, Sullivan and Savage all had 1 pass defensed, while Alexander had 2. 

Christian Kirksey led the Packers with 11 tackles (6 solo) and had an interception off a pass tipped by a defensive lineman.  Martin played just 22 snaps and Summers added 3 more.  The Packers had 1.3 ILBs on the field on average per play.  The Packers played Zadarius and Preston Smith a lot of snaps as they normally do.  Gary played 35 snaps (42%) while Ramsey played 3 snaps.  The Packers had 2.14 OLBs on the field per play on average, meaning one of them moved inside on roughly 12 plays. 

The defensive line rotation was fairly normal.  Due to the large number of plays, some players at the bottom of the rotation got more snaps.  Clark played 76% of snaps, which is a substantial number for a nose tackle, and had 6 tackles.  Lowry played a little more than usual as did Lancaster, but someone had to spell Clark.  Keke played about the same as he has been in recent games.  Winn played 7 snaps and had a tipped pass.  Keke and Lancaster each had 2 tackles with Lancaster adding tipped pass, while Lowry had one tackle. 

The Colt's main running back, Jonathan Taylor, averaged just 2.6 yards on 7 carried (18 yards) in the first half.  The Colts averaged 3.3 yards per carry in the first half on 13 attempts.  In the second half Taylor carried 15 times for 72 yards, a 4.8 yard average.  Overall the Colts rushed 37 times for 140 yards, a 3.8 yard average.  It was a tale of two halves, though.        

Name Snaps
Crosby 11 - 35%
Scott 8 - 26%
Bradley 8 - 26%

Crosby made his only field goal attempt, and kicked off 6 times for 3 touchbacks.  The Colts returned those remaining 3 kickoffs for a 24.3 yard average, with a long of 33.  Scott punted 3 times for 39.0 yard gross and 36.0 yard net averages.  Scott had no touchbacks and none were inside the twenty.  Shepherd returned 7 kickoffs for a 19.7 yard average with a long of 30.  Shepherd had a costly fumble and another misadventure that on replay turned out to be a touchback.  The Colt kicker only had one kickoff reach the endzone, and that just one just barely hit the endzone line.  Clearly, the Colts identified the Packers' kickoff returns as a weakness and forced them to return almost all kickoffs.  The Colts only punted twice, and one went out of bounds and the other was downed, but both were inside the twenty.  The Colts returned two of Scott's punts for 4 and 5 yards, respectively. 

The Packers really concentrated on playing their core players in this game.  Summers, Burks, Ramsey, Burgess, Taylor and Wagner do not play unless there is an injury.

 

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__________________________

2 points
 

Comments (29)

Fan-Friendly This filter will hide comments which have ratio of 5 to 1 down-vote to up-vote.
Leatherhead's picture

November 23, 2020 at 08:12 am

Packers score 31 in regulation, Indy has a top defense.
Indy scores 31, Packers have garbage defense.

Sloppy game. We had plenty of opportunities to win. Four turnovers beats you almost every time.

11 points
12
1
Coldworld's picture

November 23, 2020 at 09:32 am

Losing to the colts is not a surprise. They are a good team on all 3 phases and particularly on D. They also have a very good ST unit. In contrast to most I don’t see Shepherd (fumble aside) as doing badly. He got more than he was blocked for.

Let’s not let the manner of the defeat obscure the fact that we just played a genuinely good team.

5 points
5
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dobber's picture

November 23, 2020 at 09:59 am

Agreed. There's no shame in losing to a good team on the road.

We need to be cognizant of the fact that the defense actually kept the offense in the game in the second half. With all those short fields, Indy scored one TD and kicked 3 FGs...that's three possessions that were limited to 3 points. I would argue the Packers were fortunate to get that game to overtime.

3 points
3
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Coldworld's picture

November 23, 2020 at 11:10 am

I agree with your take except that I think that your take on the D, while valid, applies after changes were finally made, by which point it had allowed 14 points and ceded the initiative. That’s what it took to get Pettine to adjust back to the heavier nickel. It’s also why o believe our players are being held back by Pettine.

3 points
3
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jannes bjornson's picture

November 23, 2020 at 01:52 pm

Winn, again is not used in the rotation. He gets a run stuff, tips a pass and displays a veteran's knowledge of the position. There is a rift developing between Montgomery and Pettine. LeFleur has to be proactive and get this Defense focused on run contain then pass attack.

4 points
4
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TheKanataThrilla's picture

November 23, 2020 at 04:30 pm

I don't understand the under usage of Winn. He seems to always provide me with a memorable play and then I see the snap count and shake my head.

1 points
1
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yems's picture

November 23, 2020 at 12:59 pm

No shame in losing to a good team, but this team has still only 1 win against teams with a winning record this year last time I checked (the Saints). A bit concerning I'd say.

0 points
1
1
splitpea1's picture

November 23, 2020 at 01:18 pm

But a genuinely good team that didn't play its best football....This was a winnable game, but we beat ourselves with terrible ST play and a lack of offensive creativity and execution in the second half. Let's not try to sugarcoat this loss; here was a golden opportunity to score an impressive road win and shake the recent doldrums--and we blew it.

2 points
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Klincker's picture

November 23, 2020 at 08:21 am

This post is meant to help out, because I remembered JW being involved in the 2nd half, and Thegreatreynoldo may have missed it. Jamaal did have a carry in the 2nd half, but it was wiped out. And he was targeted on the failed 4th down call.

1st & 10 at IND 43
(5:14 - 4th) J.Williams up the middle to IND 29 for 14 yards (D.Leonard, J.Blackmon). PENALTY on GB-M.Lewis, Offensive Holding, 10 yards, enforced at IND 43 - No Play.

4th & 1 at IND 34
(3:11 - 4th) A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to J.Williams.

1 points
1
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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 23, 2020 at 10:03 am

Yes, indeed. Plays wiped out by penalty usually are plays that don't exist in my mind, but this article is about what the coaches intended. As you noted, Jamaal got a carry that went for 14 yards but it was wiped out. He was also targeted on the 4th and one. I don't usually mention every target.

Also, with 12 seconds left AR threw incomplete short left. Neither ESPN nor nflgsis names who the target was. Wasn't it Jamaal? That's what my feeble memory suggests. That would be a third target.

So I guess the coaches didn't completely forget Jamaal, they just mostly forgot him.

3-3-IND 8 (:12) (No Huddle, Shotgun) A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left. 4-3-IND 8 (:07) M.Crosby 26 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-H.Bradley, Holder-J.Scott.

1 points
1
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dobber's picture

November 23, 2020 at 10:33 am

I don't understand what seems to be a reluctance to put Williams and Jones on the field at the same time. Maybe 4-5 times on Sunday, if that. They showed earlier in the season that it was a pretty dynamic combination.

"4th & 1 at IND 34
(3:11 - 4th) A.Rodgers pass incomplete short left to J.Williams."

I think that play was the tipping point of the game. Packers were driving down 3 and eating clock. In a vacuum, play action seems like a good call, but as I recall, Aikman said on air that play-action was coming before the snap...and if he called it, Indy had to know it was coming. Indy gets pressure up the gut, which just shouldn't happen on that call. I think it was a 2-man pattern. ARod had no place to go.

2 points
2
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Jonathan Spader's picture

November 23, 2020 at 02:12 pm

Rodgers had plenty of field open to him on the lefthand side and could have run it for the first down. His horrible throw was a real head scratcher.

0 points
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jannes bjornson's picture

November 23, 2020 at 06:27 pm

He's being coached not to take off.

0 points
0
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Lphill's picture

November 23, 2020 at 08:35 am

Winn needed more snaps ,should have been in on early running downs, maybe Pettine will get it next season.

5 points
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Coldworld's picture

November 23, 2020 at 09:36 am

Winn comes in, makes an impact and yet again plays less than 10 snaps. He was only active since M Adams was out I am sure. Martin barely played even when they were leaning on the run.

These are the kind of reasons why moving on from Pettine now is starting to look like an option we should take seriously.

3 points
3
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The_Justicar's picture

November 25, 2020 at 07:36 am

Winn and M Adams should both be active on game days. Seems only one or the other is active and then whoever is active plays 10 or less snaps.

0 points
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murf7777's picture

November 23, 2020 at 11:36 am

Winn has shown the propensity to make good plays, I hope to see more of him as well.

1 points
1
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Thegravedigger's picture

November 23, 2020 at 11:52 am

So true. Its like they are scared to bench the draft picks or high priced free agents. Winn and rashan gary clearly are better than p smith and lancaster lowry keke. The dudes first play he caused a turnover. Andhe plays with fire. They both do. Play your best players

4 points
4
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Doug_In_Sandpoint's picture

November 23, 2020 at 08:38 am

I was pleasantly surprised by Kevin King this game. After being out with injuries, and being rumored to have an achilles injury (still questionable late in the week), he played every snap and at a high level. I don’t believe he was even thrown at until later in the second half. He was tackling well which often seems in short supply on this D. When he’s unavailable I’m on the bandwagon with “no need to re-sign him.” But when he’s in there, he is very good. He will get paid by somebody.

5 points
5
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Guam's picture

November 23, 2020 at 08:54 am

I thought Gary was more effective than P. Smith and should have had more reps.

I was not a fan of the play calling in the second half and thought the fourth and one call was execrable. Run the damn ball!

9 points
9
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HighPlainsDrifter's picture

November 23, 2020 at 10:25 am

Multiple thumbs up for using the word "execrable"!! Thanks for giving me another way to play my "x" in Scrabble.

2 points
3
1
Guam's picture

November 23, 2020 at 04:14 pm

You are welcome, but I wouldn't advise it for Scrabble. It is a nine letter word and you only have seven tiles. Need a lot help from an unwilling opponent to fit that one in!

1 points
1
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Thegreatreynoldo's picture

November 23, 2020 at 10:15 am

I used a photo of Lowry. I had a difficult time deciding whose photo to use. I go by snaps, not how well they played - that is, someone playing far more or far less than normal. There really weren't any such candidates (except Runyan, but I couldn't find a photo of him I could download), so I punted and used Lowry, who got more snaps than I think he ought to have gotten.

That said, the photo I used is a complete surprise to me. I try to get this up in time for readers' morning coffee, and I was encroaching on my deadline - the start of my commute. I must have clicked on the photo of Lowry next to the one I intended to use. I have to admit, I think the photo is a little amusing, but the defense didn't do that poorly against the run against the Colts - it isn't like it was the SF game last year.

0 points
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Coldworld's picture

November 23, 2020 at 11:11 am

Photo of Pettine’s back?

0 points
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Fabio's picture

November 23, 2020 at 12:07 pm

Anyone want to comment on the action of Indy's 4th Q where he was 3rd and 19th and we managed to get them 3 yards from the down ????
Immediately after they went for a 4th and 3rd and they converted it by taking away a lot of time from the clock .....

2 points
2
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PhantomII's picture

November 23, 2020 at 12:57 pm

That was pathetic. ML denied one of the holding calls for a 2nd dn instead of another 10 yds and they still made it on 4th dn. Against run teams our base D needs to be 3 dn lineman and 2 olb and 2 ilb. None of us are pro DC's but have been watching the way it should be for decades and this Defense sticks out in a very bad way. This clown does not know how to use what he has to stop an offense......period.

2 points
2
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Rudedawg67's picture

November 23, 2020 at 02:51 pm

I’ve got a gadget play for fourth and one. Why don’t we use a three wide receiver set and run the 250 pound running back up the middle and try and get a first down. It took me three weeks to draw that one up on the chalkboard.

2 points
2
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Lphill's picture

November 23, 2020 at 04:05 pm

Is JK Scott still here?

0 points
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Since'61's picture

November 23, 2020 at 10:40 pm

84 snaps for the Colts tells me that our defense could not get off the field. Until our defense learns how to tackle and to stop the run we’re going to see our opponents run the ball, chew up the clock and keep Rodgers off the field.

Yes, we can score 30 points per game but the defense gives it all back and more. Sloppy play, turnovers and poor tackling is not a formula for winning football games.

If we aren’t ready to play for 60 minutes by the 10th game of the season when will we be ready? Thanks, Since ‘61

0 points
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