Expect Another Aaron Jones Revenge Game
The Minnesota Vikings needed an alternative to Alexander Mattison this season. Kevin O’Connell saw his running game flop last year. Even for a quarterback who leans heavily into the passing game, he was never going to sign up for such a lopsided attack.
Expect Another Aaron Jones Revenge Game
When Kwesi Adofo-Mensah targeted the former Green Bay Packers running back, he was looking to make the most of an opportunity. Aaron Jones was cast aside after being asked to take a pay cut. He struggled to stay healthy throughout his career but has been productive on the field.
This season for Minnesota, Jones has been every bit the boost he was hoped to be. There have been nicks and bruises along the way, but he hasn’t missed a game. The first time he saw his former employer, he put up a solid performance, but his Lambeau Leap didn’t come until he was celebrating with fans following a win.
O’Connell noted a desire to have Jones reach the century mark in Green Bay, but it wasn’t meant to be. He posted 93 yards on 22 carries. The back also added 46 yards on four receptions. It was a very solid all-around performance. You know he wanted to find paydirt, though.
That should be expected to come on Sunday. The Vikings won’t face any elements playing inside U.S. Bank Stadium. Jones found plenty of room against Green Bay, and that should be expected to remain with the defense focused on Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. His workload was substantial the first time Minnesota played Green Bay, and he can be a significant part of the gameplan again.
Jones last posted a 100-yard game in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears. He has just two this season, with the other coming in Week 3 against the Houston Texans. The five touchdowns he has scored have seen an uptick in recent weeks. With only two games remaining this season, Jones is closing in on a career-high in yardage. He needs less than 100 yards to get there, and doing it against the Packers would be a vindicating feeling.
Even at 30 years old, Jones has to feel good about the numbers he has produced this season. It will be decision time for Minnesota over the offseason, but the running back has done his part to make it interesting.
A revenge game against Green Bay should put a nice bow on an otherwise impressive campaign.
Ted Schwerzler is a blogger from the Twin Cities that is focused on all things Minnesota Twins and Minnesota Vikings. He’s active on Twitter and writes daily for Minnesota Sports Fan. As a former college athlete and avid sports fan, covering our pro teams with a passion has always seemed like such a natural outlet.
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