Packers Snap Counts, Week 11: Matthews and Cook play key roles in returns from injury

On Sunday, the Green Bay Packers fell to 4-6 with a loss in Washington, as the team dropped a 42-24 decision. The Packers had a number of injuries that affected the lineup during the game, as you’ll see during this week’s Snap Counts breakdown.

Both teams were about even in terms of snaps, with the Packers running 70 offensive plays to Washington’s 68. They also were nearly even on time of possession, with the Packers holding a slight lead at 30:23 to 29:37.

Here is how the snaps broke down.

OFFENSE (70)

Offensive Line

RT Bryan Bulaga 70, C Corey Linsley 70, LG Lane Taylor 70, LT David Bakhtiari 66, RG Don Barclay 39, T/G Jason Spriggs 31, T/G Kyle Murphy 4

There was one significant injury on the offensive line on Sunday night - Don Barclay did not return after halftime due to a reported shoulder injury. However, his absence in the second half could have been due as much to his poor play in the first half as to the injury. Spriggs suited up at right guard for the entire second half. Bakhtiari was hobbled for much of the game, but gutted out the full game aside from a few snaps at the very end of the game when it was well out of hand.

Backfield

QB Aaron Rodgers 66, RB James Starks 33, RB Ty Montgomery 29, FB Aaron Ripkowski 14, QB Brett Hundley 4

Rodgers gave way to Hundley for the final four snaps when the Packers went down by three scores late. At running back, Starks and Montgomery split time almost equally, but Starks had 14 touches (9 carries/5 receptions) to Montgomery’s 6 (3/3). Starks finished the day with 71 total yards, including a 31-yard touchdown (the Packers’ longest score of the year), while Montgomery racked up 14 yards.

Receivers

WR Jordy Nelson 70, WR Davante Adams 67, WR Randall Cobb 60, TE Jared Cook 43, TE Richard Rodgers 21, WR Geronimo Allison 11, WR Jeff Janis 2

No Trevor Davis? Interesting...

Cook caught 6 of 11 targets on Sunday for 105 yards and a score - he made a pair of terrific over-the-shoulder receptions for third down conversions. However, his final catch was his worst, as he fumbled the football.

Adams and Nelson combined for just 11 total targets on the day, as it was clear that the Packers planned to use Cook and Rodgers to attack the middle of the field. Rodgers caught all four of his targets as well, for 28 yards. Each of Janis and Allison had a single target, but neither one had a catch.

DEFENSE (68)

Secondary

S Ha Ha Clinton-Dix 68, S Morgan Burnett 68, CB LaDarius Gunter 66, CB Micah Hyde 65, CB Quinten Rollins 52, S Kentrell Brice 17, CB Demetri Goodson 10

The Packers’ cornerbacks got torched early and often in this game. It remains stunning that even with the glut of injuries knocking corners out of the game (or hobbling them, in the case of Rollins), Josh Hawkins cannot find his way onto the field on defense. Clearly, Dom Capers does not trust him in coverage at this point, as he has been used exclusively as a special-teams gunner.

Inside Linebackers

Joe Thomas 68, Blake Martinez 45, Carl Bradford 7

Martinez left the game late with a knee injury, giving way to Bradford - who was just called up from the practice squad. Bradford almost made a game-changing interception on his first play, as a tipped ball hit him in the hands near the ground but fell incomplete.

Each of Thomas and Martinez had five total tackles and a tackle for loss, while Martinez added a pass deflection.

Outside Linebackers

Clay Matthews 56, Nick Perry 54, Julius Peppers 28, Datone Jones 25, Kyler Fackrell 2

Matthews’ presence helped Nick Perry out, as Perry recorded four tackles, a sack, a TFL, and another hit on Kirk Cousins. Matthews himself did not do much on the stat sheet, however, landing just a single tackle. Peppers also had a decent day with a sack, TFL, hit, and pass deflection of his own in moderate playing time.

Defensive Linemen

Mike Daniels 44, Letroy Guion 36, Kenny Clark 24, Mike Pennel 11, Dean Lowry 2

Daniels was largely his usual disruptive self, though he had a roughing the passer penalty that kept a Washington drive alive and led to a field goal. He also recorded a TFL in the run game and had four total tackles. Clark had a three-tackle day.