Aaron Jones cemented the groundwork for the Green Bay Packers‘ running game one week ago. He delivered the hat trick of three rushing touchdowns, all leading to Green Bay’s impressive 48-32 romp over the favored Dallas Cowboys.
But Jones had to shoulder the load without AJ Dillon. Which now begs the question: Are the Pack welcoming back “Quadzilla” ahead of the San Francisco 49ers matchup on Saturday night?
Latest Update Surrounding AJ Dillon Before 49ers Game
Update 01/20/2024: AJ Dillon is officially inactive for the Divisional Round game against the 49ers.
Dillon is currently listed as questionable for the second-round battle in the Bay Area.
The reason for his absence? The veteran running back is dealing with a neck injury. It’s also the same ailment that kept him away from the Week 18 season finale vs. the Chicago Bears.
Dillon isn’t just dealing with his neck ailment, though. He’s also battled a thumb injury while being away from the Packers’ huddle.
However, per Packers team reporter Wes Hodkiewicz, Dillon got the chance to practice on Thursday, albeit in a limited capacity.
Dillon is among a handful of notable injuries for the Packers before their tilt with the NFC’s top-seeded team. Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander (shoulder/ankle) and linebacker Isaiah McDuffie (neck) are the other players carrying questionable tags for Green Bay before its trip to Levi’s Stadium.
How Green Bay Fared Without Dillon and How They’ve Done With Him in 2023
With no “Quadzilla” in the lineup in Dallas, Green Bay still wore down the Cowboys with the ground game.
Jones racked up 118 yards and averaged 5.6 yards per carry in the contest. Meanwhile, Emmanuel Wilson helped spell Jones by taking eight handoffs and tallying 20 yards. Patrick Taylor also got some action with three carries for six yards.
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In total, the Packers averaged 4.3 yards per carry as a team and accumulated 143 total rushing yards. Green Bay proved it didn’t miss a beat with Dillon not in the lineup while taking on the likes of Micah Parsons, DaRon Bland, DeMarcus Lawrence, and Co.
Yet, the 25-year-old back is a valuable grinder when needed for Green Bay.
Dillon, currently navigating through his fourth NFL season, has 2,428 rushing yards with the Packers while boasting a career average of 4.1 yards per carry. He managed to hit 613 yards through 15 games and six starts during the regular season. Dillon also logged more than 10 carries in nine games.
Granted, Dillon has witnessed a slight drop-off in his production in the last two seasons.
“Quadzilla” powered into the end zone seven times in 2022, which became a career-best mark for Dillon. However, in 2023, Dillon only scored two touchdowns. Additionally, Dillon has gone from netting 803 rushing yards in 2021 to 770 in 2022 to his 2023 total of 613.
Although, he has witnessed one new career-best mark in the ’23 campaign. Dillon rumbled for his longest career run yet with a 40-yard scamper. That was against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Nov. 12.
Regardless of how limited Dillon is, the Packers have shown they benefit from having the domineering presence of the 6’0″, 247-pounder. In addition to his powerful running style, Dillon has also provided soft hands out of the backfield while recording 86 career receptions for 763 yards and scoring twice.
If he’s given the clearance to play, Dillon will aim to improve his personal playoff record to 2-2 overall. His last playoff game was actually against the 49ers during the 2021 season — which saw him carry the ball seven times for 25 yards in the 13-10 home loss.
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