Do we love the resurgence of the Packer running game, or what? At a time when our passing game really needed the running game to step up, it almost disappeared completely. Then, just when hope started to get dim, the foot soldiers start marching forward and taking possession of the territory before them.
Eddie Lacy
Aside from the bump in the road Eddie experienced in Detroit, he’s really been picking up speed. For a good long stretch he simply didn’t look like Eddie Lacy, but it appears the Eddie Lacy we all know and love is back and ready to rumble into the playoffs.
If we throw out the game against the Lions, Eddie has been posting 100+ yard games ever since the disappointing loss to Detroit in week 10. More importantly, he’s been chewing up more yardage per touch. Prior to the Minnesota game, Eddie was sub-4.0 yards per carry, something that we Packer fans aren’t really used to. From the game against Minnesota on, Lacy is averaging 5.3 yards a carry (again throwing out the strange happenings surrounding the Detroit game).
James Starks
Starks really struggled a bit when he had to carry the load as Eddie struggled with his early season injuries. Now that Eddie is rolling it has really seemed to open up Starks more. Against Chicago he averaged 5.6 yards a carry and against Dallas he churned up 6.5 yards a carry and got a touchdown both rushing and receiving.
Frankly, Starks’ receiving ability is what excites me most about him. He does tend to break my heart often by dropping easy passes in the flats, but, when he catches them watch out! When Starks is in the open field, he kind of has that Donald Driver crazy-legs running style going on. It’s the kind of open-field running that makes defenders unsure where to aim because those legs might not be there by the time they arrive.
The Packer Run Game as a Whole
One of the more interesting things about the resurgence of the Packer run game is in the number of runs. During the dismal stretch following the 6-0 start, the team averaged just shy of 20 runs per game. When they met Minnesota and the lead in the NFC North was on the line, they handed the ball off 34 times. Since then the only time they’ve been close to only running the ball 20 times was in the miracle win against the Lions.
In fact, against Dallas, in inclement weather, where we were going to have to rely on the run more heavily and the defense knew it, the Packers ran the ball 42 times and never looked back on a bewildered Cowboy team.
So, I say, bring on the Raiders and run… run like the wind!
We still can’t run for needed 1st downs on 3rd or 4th and short, and that’s not likely to change much behind our O-line. But let’s give credit where it’s been earned – the bulk of our big runs vs Dallas came behind Kuhn and Tretter’s blocks on quick hitters up the middle. I’m going to be physically ill if we put Linsley back into the starting lineup without an injury to Tretter.
I’ll never be a fan of running a $10 mil WR. Our TEs aren’t nearly as productive in pistol or offset i as Kuhn either. Plays over players, only when players are put in the best positions to make plays with the calls. Go Pack go!