Packers 2025 Callsheet: 2nd & Long

We’re moving right along in this little series. We set up what this series is about and we kicked it off in earnest last week by building out the 1st & 10 section. Today, we’re building out the 2nd & Long section (where “long” is defined as 7+ yards).

In 2025, the Packers averaged 9.1 non-Red Zone 2nd & Long plays per game, so we’re going to build out 10 plays. That’s light work compared to the 22 we had last week.

I’ll be listing the success rate, so let’s define that real quick. On 2nd down, a play is considered a success for the offense if it gains at least 50% of the yards needed to make a 1st down. So if you have a 4-yard run on 2nd & 8, it’s a success, where a 3-yard gain would not be a success.

The Packers performed pretty well on 2nd & Long in 2025, with a success rate of 49.2% (10th). They also had an explosive play rate of 13.4%, tied for 6th in the league (a play is explosive if a pass gains 16+ yards or a run gains 12+ yards). Their yards per play of 5.8 were middle of the pack (tied for 15th), but, overall, they performed well in this down & distance in 2025.

As you might expect, this was a pass-heavy down for the Packers, but that’s true of most teams in the league. The Packers 72.1% pass rate on 2nd & Long was the 19th highest rate in the league (the Chiefs were #1 at 85.7%). With the Packers leaning heavier in the passing game on 2nd & Long – and my own bias towards the passing game – I wanted to look a little deeper into the numbers. Did they find more success by running the ball or passing the ball?

A slightly better success rate when running the ball, but an average of 1.4 more yards per play and an explosive rate that is 4.7 percentage points better. I opted to stick with a higher pass rate, so we’ve got 7 passes and 3 runs.

Passes

Lion (5.0 YPA, 100% Success)

We’ll start with a quick-hitting staple. Lion is double-slants with a flat underneath. Read inside-out on the slants, then hit the flat if neither slant is open. In the clip above, they have Luke Musgrave on a Sluggo (slant-and-go) on the outside, which is a fun variation of this concept.

If you can hit one of the slants in-stride, this is something that has the ability to be a nice YAC (Yards After Catch) play. Failing that, it’s still a simple, quick-hitting concept that can usually find at least one receiver open for 4-6 yards.

Hank (9.1 YPA, 71.4% Success)

Another quick-hitting concept. Hank is a hitch from the outside and a flat from the inside. This is often paired with a 5-7 step concept on the backside. The QB has the ability to work the backside concept if Hank is covered or if the defense gives a favorable look. On the clip above, they’re running Cross-Country Dagger on the backside. They love the Hank/Cross-Country Dagger pairing.

Cross Country Dagger (16.2 YPA, 60.0% Success)

I just mentioned Cross-Country Dagger, so this felt like the next logical place to go. While this does pair nicely with Hank, there are other ways to dress up this concept and give it a little boost. On more than one occasion this year, the Packers ran this out of Trips (3 receivers spread to the same side). The #3 receiver (inside most) runs the deep crosser and the #1 receiver (outside most) runs the in-cutter behind it. Those are the traditional Cross-Country Dagger routes, but then they send the #2 on a deep post over the top of the crosser from #3.

That combo can put a lot of stress on a defense, and it’s something that hit for the Packers a few times on 2nd & Long this season.

Bench (6.3 YPA, 71.4% Success)

This concept is two intermediate-to-deep breaking routes to the same sideline, with the routes coming on both sides of the field. On the clip above, the Packers pair that with a return motion release from Dontayvion Wicks, releasing to the same sideline. It creates a nice high-low conflict to that side of the field. The quick motion makes for some confusion in coverage, giving you the ability of a nice, quick win if the defense takes a second to process/communicate.

PA Boot (15.4 YPA, 100% Success)

A staple concept of any team that runs Wide Zone. Fake the run one way, then boot out the other way to a Sail concept (deep corner/Sail route, intermediate crossing route & short flat route).

Having a mobile QB can help with this concept, as well. As we see in the clip above, the threat of the run from Jordan Love is what forces a defender to move towards the line, opening the throw to Romeo Doubs on the crosser.

Strike (12.0 YPA, 50.0% Success)

A nice change-up to PA Boot that looks to quickly take advantage of the space in the middle of the field that should be vacated by the linebackers pulling up on the playfake. Instead of booting, the QB sticks his foot in the dirt and looks to hit the quick in-cutter over the middle. The Packers sell the run hard here, with heavy personnel in I-Formation.

This concept used to be lethal, but, as linebackers slow-play the playfake more and more, it becomes harder to hit. The space simply isn’t there in the middle of the field like it used to be. So this is one that would likely need to be used sparingly, and only against teams with linebackers who bite hard.

WR Screen (7.4 YPA, 66.7% Success)

The clip above has a running back get the ball, but the mechanics are still in-line with a WR screen; a boundary screen with the front 2 receivers blocking for the man behind them. It works even better when you get a situation like the clip above: motion the screen man out and, if no one follows, you’ve got a numbers advantage.

Runs

Inside Zone (4.7 YPA, 60.0% Success)

The clip above fits into the Duo bucket of Inside Zone: a zone run play with an inside aiming point and blocking up front that prioritizes at least 2 double-team blocks. The RB is aiming at the spot between those double-teams, as that’s where you’re looking to create the most movement.

Power (4.8 YPA, 60.0% Success)

Matt LaFleur does a great job using motion to create favorable blocking match-ups in the run game, and that works well with the power running game. If you’re pulling your two backside lineman, you need someone to slow down the pursuit of the backside defensive end.

On the clip above, they do that by short-motioning Jayden Reed into the formation and asking him to block Marcus Davenport. Reed is giving up 7 inches and ~100 pounds, but the quick motion puts Reed in a position Davenport isn’t expecting, and it allows Reed to get the first punch and stop Davenport from pursuing.

I love me a power running game, and having Reed as a key, in-line blocker on a much larger man gives me a little chuckle. Good job, Jayden Reed.

RPOs

Wide Zone/Hank (7.0 YPA, 50.0% Success)

At the top I mentioned that I had 3 runs and that’s because RPOs are essentially a run play with a pass tag. All the blocking mechanics up front are for a run play, and it’s up to the QB whether to hand the ball off or throw (depending on either the pre-snap defensive alignment or their post-snap movement).

The above clip is a pre-snap read, which is how the Packers prefer to operate their RPO game. If they have a numbers advantage to the passing side, Love will throw. If not, he’ll hand off. That kind of RPO call is typically less explosive, but it’s a safer call. If you’re looking to get back ahead of the sticks on 2nd & Long, having a call on the sheet that is “safe” may not be the worst thing in the world. They can’t all be explosives.

That’s now the second section of our callsheet down. Here’s what that section looks like:

Albums listened to: Lucid Express – Instant Comfort; The Gaslight Anthem – The ‘59 Sound; Mitski – Nothing’s About to Happen to Me; This Does Not Exist – Waves Goodbye