GREEN BAY – In Sunday's 31-12 victory over the Dolphins, Packers RB Aaron Jones gained at least 10 yards on a run or reception seven times in the contest.
Gains like that require effective blocking on the second level, or beyond the line of scrimmage, by the linemen and tight ends, helping to earn those chunks of yardage.
Many of the blocks right at the line of scrimmage were pretty darn good, too, but here are some highlights from the second-level blocking for Jones.
Play No. 1: Second-and-10 from the Green Bay 30, first quarter, 10:56 left
Result: 12-yard run by Jones
C Corey Linsley's combo block is the key here. It works like a two-for-one. Linsley (63) starts by helping LG Lane Taylor (65) on Dolphins DT Davon Godchaux (56). He then bounces off that to pick up LB Raekwon McMillan (52) downfield and get Jones' day started right. Don't miss Taylor finishing off Godchaux with a classic pancake.
Play No. 2: First-and-10 from the Miami 46, first quarter, 9:33 left
Result: 15-yard run by Jones
This is textbook second-level blocking, with all three of Miami's linebackers getting taken out of the play. From left to right, Linsley takes on LB Kiko Alonso (47), TE Lance Kendricks (84) steps through the hole to meet McMillan, and TE Jimmy Graham (80) gets enough of LB Jerome Baker (55) to allow Jones to run right on by.
Play No. 3: First-and-15 from the Miami 26, first quarter, 6:56 left
Result: 19-yard screen pass to Jones
Linsley and RG Byron Bell (74) start out double-teaming DT Akeem Spence (93), but as Bell slides off, Linsley maintains the block on Spence for quite a while. Bell gets in Alonso's way just in time as Jones catches the ball to turn upfield, while Graham has released all the way into the secondary to lock up CB Xavien Howard (25) and give Jones plenty of space to make it first-and-goal.
Play No. 4: First-and-goal from the Miami 10, third quarter, 9:38 left
Result: 10-yard TD run by Jones
A lot going on here as the Packers blow open a huge hole up front for Jones' second TD run of the game. Linsley works another two-for-one, starting with Taylor on DT Sylvester Williams (98) before quickly picking up McMillan just inside the 10. Bell releases and actually can't find anybody to block, though he unknowingly runs interference with his back to S Reshad Jones (20) at the goal line. It's not a second-level block, but the best one to see here is by RT Bryan Bulaga (75), who helps Spence use his own momentum sliding across the line of scrimmage to take himself out of the play and get in the way of some Miami teammates as well.
Play No. 5: Second-and-10 from the Green Bay 20, fourth quarter, 14:06 left
Result: 10-yard run by Jones
This time it's Graham executing the two-for-one, at first working with Kendricks on DE Cameron Malveaux (75). Graham chips Malveaux as Kendricks turns his body to get inside leverage, and then Graham picks off Baker, giving Jones the smallest of creases to slip through for another first down.
