Packers film room: Josh Myers turns in dominant run blocking performance against Bears

The Green Bay Packers ran all over the Chicago Bears in Week 2, and they couldn’t have done it without some impressive blocking from center Josh Myers.

Myers was a key contributor in Sunday’s win for his help in paving the way for Green Bay’s 203 rushing yards. The former second-round pick out of Ohio State has proven to be a great fit for Matt LaFleur’s zone blocking scheme and has done a great job filling the void left behind by former All-Pro Corey Linsley.

Of course, Myers is only in his second season, so he still has some developing to do, but through the first two weeks of the 2022 season, he appears to be playing with a ton of confidence, especially as a run blocker. This week, we are diving into the film to look closer at his performance against the Bears.

Let’s get started.

The hook block is not always easy to execute, but it helps when you have Myers’ athleticism. His lateral quickness allows him to immediately get leverage over the defensive tackle in the one-technique. From there, we see some polished technique from Myers, who shows good hand usage and does a nice job of sliding his hips and feet to seal the defender.

Here we see that Myers can be more consistent on reach blocks. While his first step is explosive, he overextends and fails to get control of the defensive tackle with his inside hand. This allows the defender to easily get off the block with a swipe move and make a play in the backfield. It’s an unfortunate rep from Myers because there is a ton of room for the running back in the B gap.

You have to think the Packers envisioned this play for Myers when they made him a second-round pick. Myers is great at leading the charge as evidenced by this center and guard pull. He is super effective on this rep because he is under control, which was a knock against him coming out of college. Also, look at how well he moves for a guy of his size. The linebacker has the best chance of making the tackle, but Myers’ understanding of leverage and angles prevents him from dipping under his climb. The result is a touchdown.

We touched on this earlier, but Myers has been a great replacement for Linsley. It’s not often that a player comes in and fills the shoes of an All-Pro, but Myers has done a bang-up job. His ability to get to the second level is perfect for Green Bay and their zone run scheme. Obviously, he could have done a better job of finishing the play, but good play speed allows him to wash out Roquan Smith for a decent gain.

Not a run play but another example of how effective Myers can be in space. He is wide and fast, which is a big reason why the Packers are able to run these screens with so much success. Myers has no trouble getting out in front and covering up a linebacker, even ones who are as athletic as Smith. Again, you would like to see him show some tenacity by planting a guy into the ground, but this works also.

Conclusion

Consistency will be a big thing for Myers moving forward. It’s what will separate him from being an above-average starter or a Pro Bowler. The potential is there, which is shown through his short-area quickness and understanding of leverage. However, he needs to continue to work on his hand usage as this will help him become a better blocker not just in the run game, but in pass protection as well. We didn’t really touch on Myers’ pass blocking in this film review, but he has been solid for the most part. Pro Football Focus has credited him with allowing one pressure through the first two games, but there is always room for improvement. It’s almost important to keep in mind that Myers has only made eight career starts. The sky is the limit for the Packers’ young center, as the traits are definitely there.

Story originally appeared on Packers Wire