Robert Tonyan, Supporting Cast Has Aaron Rodgers, Packers Looking Like NFCs Best

A mea culpa is necessary after the Green Bay Packers' 30-16 dismantling of the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football. 

The idea of the Packers not making a significant investment in the wide receiver position at any point during the offseason was beaten into the ground for months. Many, including myself, couldn't understand the rationalization of passing on the position throughout free agency and in a historic draft class when Davante Adams clearly needed help. 

Yet the Packers are getting the last laugh because they had weapons all along, even if they weren't always readily apparent. 

Now, Green Bay features an elite running back, quality backfield depth, an emerging star at tight end and arguably the best offensive line in professional football. A combination of those performers, plus Aaron Rodgers orchestrating Matt LaFleur's offense like John Williams building an epic movie soundtrack, has the Packers mowing down opponents during the team's 4-0 start. 

The situation did look somewhat bleak a few hours before kickoff. Adams, who is nursing a hamstring injury, tweeted he wouldn't play while insinuating team doctors were being too cautious before deleting the comment, per Pro Football Talk's Josh Alper. 

With Allen Lazard and Equanimeous St. Brown on injured reserve, Green Bay opened the contest with Marquez Valdes-Scantling and Darrius Shepherd out wide. Even a depleted Falcons secondary couldn't make that receiver tandem look appealing. 

Instead, Rodgers turned to the other weapons in his offense—specifically tight end Robert Tonyan. 

The Packers released Jimmy Graham this offseason without an obvious replacement on the roster. However, Graham never lived up to expectations while wearing green and yellow. Tonyan, on the other hand, is maximizing his opportunities as Rodgers' new favorite target. 

"Obviously, with Jimmy leaving us and not being here, it just opens up a big window for a playmaker," Tonyan told reporters during training camp. "Everyone's going to have opportunities. Like they said before, our tight end room is very well-rounded, but we’re trying to be the best tight end group in the NFL. We’re not just trying to be the best tight end for Green Bay, we’re trying to be the best tight end group in the NFL."

The former practice-squad tight end is currently the NFL's best player at his position. OK, that's laying it on thick, but Tonyan's five touchdown receptions are currently tied for the league lead alongside Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans.

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

For comparison, Graham caught five touchdown passes in two seasons with the Packers, while Tonyan has posted the same number through four games. Currently, the Packers tight end has more touchdowns this season than the combined efforts of the Kansas City Chiefs' Travis Kelce, the Las Vegas Raiders' Darren Waller, the Los Angeles Chargers' Hunter Henry, the New York Giants' Evan Engram and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers' Rob Gronkowski, per Pro Football Focus. 

Tonyan provides a security blanket over the middle of the field and a threat down the seam. A Falcons defender even attempted to tackle the tight end to no avail on his third touchdown catch of the night. 

"I've been doing yoga twice a week, so I think the somersault helped. ... Yeah, that was crazy," the Indiana State product told reporters after the game. 

In total, Tonyan snagged six passes for a team-leading 98 yards and the aforementioned three scores during Sunday's rout. Marcedes Lewis' absence from the lineup due to an injured knee also placed a greater emphasis on him excelling in both phases of the game. 

While Green Bay does rely on its tight ends to block, the offensive line's performance has been something special. Keep in mind, the Packers have shuffled their lineup multiple times already, yet the group still ranked first overall in both run- and pass-block win rate entering Week 4, per Next Gen Stats (h/t the ESPN pregame telecast). 

Think about that for a second.

So far, Elgton Jenkins played right tackle in Week 1 before moving back to his regular spot at left guard. Rookie sixth-round Jon Runyan Jr. was forced into the lineup at right guard because of an injury to Lucas Patrick. Rick Wagner started a game at right tackle, as well. Patrick and Billy Turner are now trying to solidify the right side after the Packers lost long-term right tackle Bryan Bulaga in free agency earlier this year.

Yet the group continues to excel. It's paving running lanes and protecting Rodgers at a high level despite the constant shuffling. 

The front five's excellent performance makes life easier on everyone else, especially the running backs. 

Aaron Jones was already one of the league's better running backs, and everyone knew it. After all, he leads all ball-carriers in rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns since the start of the 2019 campaign. After Monday's 71-yard performance, the 25-year-old back ranks second overall with 374 rushing yards this season. 

Tom Lynn/Associated Press

Jones continues to be a major threat as both a runner and receiver while serving as the current focal point of the Packers offense. 

"Aaron's versatility really shows up when we split him out as a wide receiver," LaFleur told reporters last month. "He's done some great things. The other thing that I think you can't sleep on [with] Aaron is just his ability as a pass protector, too. ... He's just a really complete back in all three phases."

Green Bay features a strong stable of backs. Aside from Jones, Jamaal Williams is a physical runner between the tackles and continues to grow as a receiving threat. He led the team Monday night with eight receptions out of the backfield for 95 yards.

LaFleur then sprinkles in Tyler Ervin as a hybrid weapon who can often be seen working across the formation with presnap motion. The Packers have yet to fully integrate this year's second-round draft pick, the 247-pound AJ Dillon, into the scheme. Once the rookie gets rolling, Green Bay will feature the league's deepest backfield.

The Packers can easily have two or three different backs on the field at any given time, and their diversified skill sets allow them to be effective in multiple roles.

Eventually, the team's receivers will get healthy and return to the lineup. But so many are learning exactly why general manager Brian Gutenkunst took the approach he did earlier this year when he veered away from what seemed like the obvious path.

Consider for a moment that Rodgers completed 27 of 33 passes for 327 yards, four touchdowns, zero interceptions and a staggering 147.5 quarterback rating without Adams, Lazard, St. Brown and Lewis on the field. Let those numbers sink in.

"That's the benefit of being in Green Bay, that there's really nothing else to do other than be with your teammates," Tonyan said of team chemistry now that the team has scored 30 or more points in all four games so far in 2020.

On behalf of everyone who thought the Packers made a massive blunder by not adding another wide receiver, we're sorry.

Brent Sobleski covers the NFL for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter, @brentsobleski.