Packers Week 5 Snap Counts: Pony package all but vanishes against Giants in London

When the Green Bay Packers took the field in London on Sunday, their offense had a bit of a different look than it did over the first few weeks of the season. Most prominent is the fact that the team almost entirely eliminated the “Pony” package from the playbook against the New York Giants after it played a significant role in the team’s scheme over the first few games.

Defensively, the Packers played a lot of base defense against the Giants and Saquon Barkley, but did so with just four defensive linemen active for the game. That led to a substantial snap count for all four active linemen, but it was a bit of gamble for the team to get through the game in case they suffered an in-game injury.

Here’s a look at this week’s snaps and numbers from a game whose final result does not need to be discussed much more.

OFFENSE (63 total)

Quarterback

Aaron Rodgers 63

After a very solid first half that saw him complete 75 percent of his passes and post a passer rating of just under 120, Rodgers completed only half of his passes in the second half with no touchdowns. It was yet another incomplete, inconsistent game from Rodgers, who has now made a habit of having one good half and one poor one over the last several weeks.

Running Backs

Aaron Jones 46, AJ Dillon 20

For the first time this season, the Packers had a dramatic split in snaps between their two running backs in a single game. Both backs were efficient running the ball, but the Packers never seemed to really commit to the run game, putting up just 11 combined carries between the two players in the first half and 19 total for the game.

Jones led the way with 13 carries for 63 yards, adding 17 yards on two receptions. Dillon finished with just six carries and 34 yards. Also notable in this game is the relative lack of pony package snaps, as the Packers lined up with both running backs on the field on only a couple of plays.

Wide Receivers

Allen Lazard 59, Romeo Doubs 54, Randall Cobb 40, Christian Watson 18, Amari Rodgers 1

Perhaps one of the reasons for the Packers’ offense’s struggles in the second half was Watson’s hamstring injury, which kept him out for a substantial portion of the game. He wasn’t around to help stretch the defense horizontally, though his two touches went for a total of minus-two yards anyway. That in part helped increase Cobb’s snap counts, though Cobb was a bigger part of the game plan this week than in previous weeks anyway.

That was made clear by his target load, as Cobb hit double-digits in targets with 13, the first time a Packers receiver cleared 10 targets in a game all season. He caught 7 of those passes for 99 yards, leading the team in all categories. Allen Lazard caught four of his eight targets for 35 yards and a touchdown. Doubs was targeted just five times in the game, catching three balls for 29 yards.

Tight Ends

Marcedes Lewis 32, Robert Tonyan 28, Josiah Deguara 9, Tyler Davis 8

The Packers got the Big Dog his first reception of the year, a two-yard touchdown off a double play-action take. Tonyan caught all four of his targets for 23 yards, Deguara caught both of his for 19 yards, and Davis caught one of two balls for a loss of 3.

Offensive Linemen

Jon Runyan, Jr. 63, Josh Myers 63, Royce Newman 63, Elgton Jenkins 63, Yosh Nijman 38, David Bakhtiari 25

The Packers went back to a rotation at left tackle after David Bakhtiari played all but one series last week against the Patriots. Nijman ended up on the field for a few of the longer drives, which accounted for the more dramatic split in snaps.

Rodgers was sacked just once in the game, but he took six total hits in the pocket.

DEFENSE (61 total)

Defensive Linemen

Kenny Clark 51, Jarran Reed 47, Dean Lowry 40, T.J. Slaton 25

The Packers suited up just four defensive linemen in the game and chose to rotate Slaton heavily with the expectation that the Giants would lean on the running game. Each of the four linemen posted at least three total tackles, with Reed accounting for the only tackle for loss and nobody recording a QB hit or sack. Reed did have a cleanup sack on a Preston Smith pressure, but it was erased by a defensive holding penalty.

Outside Linebackers

Preston Smith 49, Rashan Gary 43, JJ Enagbare 18, Jonathan Garvin 12

Smith put up the Packers’ only sack of the game and recorded a total of three hits on QB Daniel Jones, the only player of the group to get to the QB on a play that was not erased by a penalty — Gary had one wiped out by a holding penalty like Reed did.

Garvin made one solid play on a pass rush, knocking down a pass at the line of scrimmage for the Packers’ only PBU of the game.

Inside Linebackers

De’Vondre Campbell 61, Quay Walker 52

Walker led the Packers in tackles on Sunday, recording eight total tackles and five solo stops. Campbell had five solo and total tackles, including one for a loss on Saquon Barkley on a swing pass.

Safeties

Adrian Amos 61, Darnell Savage 61

Amos and Savage each had three solo tackles in the game, with Amos adding a hit on Jones on a blitz.

Cornerbacks

Jaire Alexander 61, Eric Stokes 61, Rasul Douglas 29

The Packers stuck in nickel for about half of their defensive snaps, as Douglas continued to man the slot for most of his time on the field. Stokes had a rough game, however, being beaten regularly on crossing routes. He ended up second on the team in total tackles with six, not a great sign for the secondary.

SPECIAL TEAMS LEADERS

Tyler Davis 21, Dallin Leavitt 17, Isaiah McDuffie 17, Keisean Nixon 17, Josiah Deguara 13, Tipa Galeai 13, Eric Wilson 13, Shemar Jean-Charles 11, Rudy Ford 10, Patrick Taylor 10