With the Packers weak on the running back in Sunday night’s clash with the Titans, Green Bay resorted to the rookie AJ Dillon rarely used to tackle most shipments.
Benny Sieu / USA TODAY Sports
The young man delivered, breaking free at the end of the third quarter in a 30-yard touchdown run for his first career trip to the final zone. When it came time for his first Lambeau Leap, Dillon was unable to put everything together as he hoped.
We will give you a pass due to the rain and snow conditions, and the fact that the rookie has managed 14 charges to that point after never having executed the ball more than five times in any game in his young career.
Fortunately, football offers opportunities for redemption, and Dillon had his at the end of the fourth period with the game already in hand. He found the end zone for the second time in a seven-yard score with 2:25 remaining to give the Packers a 40-14 lead. This time, Dillon hit the top of that scary wall – with a little help from teammate Allen Lazard.
Dillon finished with 124 yards and two goals in 21 races that night.
A second-round pick for Green Bay outside Boston College, Dillon ran for 4,382 yards in three seasons and was a third-team All-American in 2019. He didn’t have a real chance to show what he can do until tonight, but he showed that the Packers have a lot of firepower behind Pro Bowler Aaron Jones, which Green Bay apparently wants to keep updated for the playoffs.
As for the touchdown celebrations? Dillon has another week to launch Leap, as the playoffs are coming.