Eddie Lacy had a standout college career at the University of Alabama. It was headlined by two national championships as one of the leading rushers for the team. However, when he was drafted to the Green Bay Packers, many believed Lacy would never be heard from again. The Packers traditionally are a pass-first-and-often offense, leaving very few plays for the rooke. But, as injuries begin to stack up Lacy is now the center piece of the unit.
"Every team is different," said quarter Aaron Rodgers on ESPN's PTI. "I didn't really expect this type of production from the run game this year, but here we are. We're sitting in the top five in yards per game rushing the football. That definitely takes a lot of pressure off of some holes we've had to fill in the passing game."
After last week, the Packers rank third in the league in rushing yards per game, racking up an average of 141.4 yards on the ground each week. Lacy is the headliner of the group after earning the starting job during training camp. He has continued to get better each week, taking pressure of Rodgers in the process.
The quarterback entered the season with Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, two of his most reliable targets on offense. Then injuries hit three of their four top receivers as Randall Cobb, James Jones and Jermichael Finley have all missed significant time. Now, Lacy leads the NFL with 395 yards over the past four weeks while being tied for 13th best overall. After a successful month, Lacy took home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Month for October, something many did not see happening at the start of the year.
The Packers are quietly sitting close to the top of the NFC. Rodgers has not exploded for a huge number of passing yards this season, causing some teams to overlook the treat they might be.
"We've put together seven straight games where we've been productive on the ground, but the thing with us is guys are never satisfied," right guard T.J. Lang said. "When you have that type of attitude, you're going to continue to get better. It's no fluke what we're doing. We've worked our (butt) off in practice, all throughout the offseason, to make the running game a point of emphasis, and there's no better feeling when it pays off on Sunday."
Lacy and teammate James Starks have provided a powerful one-two punch for the Packers, much like the type of offense the rookie worked in throughout college. With fresh legs stepping in on each play, the Packers offense should move along very well throughout the remaining games.
