A lot can change in nine months.
In January, Aaron Jones capped off one of the best stretches of his NFL career to help the Green Bay Packers surprisingly reach the NFC Divisional Round. He had five straight 100-yard games, including a three-touchdown performance in the Packers' playoff win over the Dallas Cowboys.
That run included Green Bay's dominant win over the Minnesota Vikings on New Year's Eve, ending with Jones taunting the Vikings sideline with a loser sign.
Fast forward to the current day. Jones is off to an excellent start as a Vikings player, said he's having the most fun of his career in Minnesota, and is now preparing for a revenge game against the Packers at Lambeau Field.
As expected, head coach Matt LaFleur was asked about Jones in his first press conference of the week.
LaFleur spoke to the media on Monday, with the team preparing to face the Vikings in Week 4. A reporter said that after years of drawing up plays for Jones, what's the biggest challenge of having to slow him down this week?
"Who?" joked LaFleur.
He was kidding, of course, but it was a funny moment from LaFleur, who has enjoyed his share of mic-drop moments in recent press conferences. LaFleur would go on to give his real response.
"Yeah, he's a problem, and he looks really good," said LaFleur. "He's one of my favorite players that I've ever had the privilege to coach in terms of how he goes about his business. I've still got a love for him. I just won't have a lot of love for him when we're playing against him."
And that's what has made his switch to the Vikings so tough for Packers fans. We all still love Jones, but it's not easy watching him in a purple uniform joining in with the "Skol" chants.
The Packers are perfectly fine with their own rushing attack. Josh Jacobs has made an excellent start, with 278 yards on the ground in the opening three games—only five running backs have more. Green Bay leads the league in rushing, averaging 204 yards on the ground per contest.
But now, Jeff Hafley's unit must figure out a way to slow down Jones, who has looked as good as ever while averaging 5.4 yards per carry in the Vikings' opening three games. He rushed for 102 yards against the Houston Texans in Week 3.
Jones will have a point to prove, and LaFleur is right—that's a problem for the Packers' defense.
