Twenty one bears. 124 meters. Two touchdowns. A lot of people thought Derrick Henry’s stat line would look something like this Sunday night, not AJ Dillon’s. After not really playing a role in the attack for the first 15 weeks of the season, the Green Bay Packers rookie walking back picked a huge stage to have a breakout performance. It all came together for Dillon in a snowy, statement-making victory over the Tennessee Titans in Week 16.
On entering the game, Dillon had 24 carries for 114 yards, no touchdowns, and one catch for 16 yards. In all fairness, not much was expected of Dillon in Year 1. It was actually a redshirt year where he could get comfortable with the offense and learn from Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams. In limited reps, he averaged 4.8 yards per carry, which isn’t terrible in any way. However, he still had not quite found his place in the attack.
That all changed this week when Jamaal Williams was declared inactive with a quadricep injury, potentially opening a small gap for Dillon. But even with Williams out, Jones would likely continue to justify most of the touches.
Dillon accounted for less than 10 percent of offensive snaps on the field in 2020 and was also placed on the reserve / COVID-19 list for a five-week period earlier this year. After the game, Aaron Rodgers admitted that he wasn’t sure Dillon would be back all the way this season. It was clear that Dillon would not miss a great opportunity if it presented itself.
On the opening drive that lasted 60 yards and a touchdown, Dillon had no carry and was not on the field for a single game. Jones seemed on his way to another solid performance, starting the game with three carries for 20 yards.
The second drive was designed for Dillon by head coach Matt LaFleur. It didn’t start very well, as his first two wear only two meters in total. Dillon finally got things with a six foot rush and another for nine feet. Those two carries may never have happened if the Titans hadn’t taken a crucial third-place penalty to extend the drive. If that sentence never took place, Dillon might have had a completely different night.
Later, an interception by security Darnell Savage created a brief field situation for the Packers’ offense. However, on the first play, Rodgers threw a ball in the direction of Jones who was tackled and landed clumsily. Jones left the game and was replaced by Dillon.
In the next game, Dillon rushed through the middle for a 14-meter gain. While Green Bay hit their third touchdown, Dillon became the featured back.
When the Packers lined up Dillon, some of the first images that came to mind were the possibility that he would run through arm tackles in the cold December football. He did just that against Tennessee. During the third quarter, Dillon jumped through a hole and, with one man beating, forced a missed tackle for a 30 yards touchdown run.
The long score certainly would have ended a great night for Dillon, but he wasn’t quite done. He later scored his second career touchdown while carrying a stack of Titans players on his shoulders. During the training camp, we saw photos and heard folk tales about Dillon’s strength, but Sunday night was the first time everyone witnessed it.
He showed that there can be a bright future in Green Bay. He also showed why the Packers were so high on him. In response to Dillon’s Day 2 roster, many pointed to LaFleur’s time with Henry from the season he spent in Tennessee. By comparing the two players’ physical stature and playstyle, it was clear that the Packers were hoping Dillon would be their own version of Henry. Sunday night offered some hope that it would really come true.
Dillon had the better play between the two when Henry finished the game with 23 carries for 98 yards and no touchdowns. At this point, it’s not clear what Dillon’s role will be if Jones and Williams are back to full health. For Green Bay, having three viable options to run back is a big deal.
“It’s so exciting when you have three backs that you have so much confidence in,” says LaFleur said. “All three guys are starters in this competition for me.”
This performance could drop as Dillon’s most memorable from his rookie season, but even if it does, the Packers will be happy. At the very least, Dillon has shown that this offense can still play at a high level with him as the primary running back.