Packers’ Best Plays of 2022, #9: Aaron Jones caps off the scramble drill

We may be in the doldrums of the offseason, but that won’t slow us down here at APC. Our Best Plays of 2022 series continues apace today with our #9 play, as voted on by APC’s contributors. Today’s play comes from the week 12 matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles and involves fantastic individual efforts from two Green Bay Packers greats.

9: Aaron Jones hauls in a vintage Aaron Rodgers throw off the scramble drill in Philadelphia

Ten snaps. That’s all it took for Jordan Love to open the public’s eyes to the real possibility that he was ready to be an NFL starter. Being thrown into the fire and coming out unscathed against the NFC champion Philadelphia Eagles made an impression on the Packers’ locker room, who had seen Love start one game and take countless practice snaps the last three years.

However, lost in the promise of a new dawn in Titletown was Aaron Rodgers playing nearly an entire game in Philadelphia before Love’s electrifying turn. And a fun, albeit sloppy, one at that! The Packers came into this game 4-7, still clinging onto hopes of a playoff spot but with their chances evaporating by the day. Losers of six of their last seven, Green Bay needed a miracle but had little reason to believe one was coming.

ESPN Analytics gave the Packers roughly just a 25% chance to win this one, in a game that felt similar to the Packers’ visit to LA against the undefeated Rams in 2018. Just like that effort, the Packers managed to keep things close for a while and posted a few season highlights along the way.

Today’s top play came midway through the second quarter when Rodgers threw one of his best balls of the year to Aaron Jones to tie the game at 20. Thanks to a Rudy Ford strip of A.J. Brown and a Quay Walker fumble return, Rodgers and co. were set up at the Eagles’ thirteen-yard line.

Brandon Graham simply overpowered Yosh Nijman from the jump and came an outstretched arm away from wreaking havoc on Rodgers. 12 turned back the clock for a moment here, climbing the pocket and rolling right for a good old fashioned scramble drill. Jones kept his eyes locked on Rodgers as soon as he broke the pocket, giving safety Marcus Epps a nice double move to create just enough space. Rodgers’ ball was perfect and suddenly, the Packers had life.

Check back tomorrow when we unveil our #8 play, a milestone moment for a rookie and a vet.