Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy has been severely under-utilized at times this season.
The loss in Buffalo is a perfect example. Aaron Rodgers was playing like garbage, while Lacy was averaging 6.5 yards per carry. He looked unstoppable and yet, Mike McCarthy only saw fit to let him carry the ball 15 times.
Also a perfect example of Buffoon being Buffoon, as far as we were concerned. That loss cost the Packers the No. 1 seed in the NFC for all intents and purposes.
We’ve been pondering a possibility for the last couple days though. Perhaps Buffoon isn’t so buffoonish after all. Perhaps he was just saving Lacy. Saving him up for some games in January, where he would fully unleash the bruising tailback.
Lacy didn’t have a game with more than 20 carries this season until week 12. That was one of only three all year. As you’ve probably guessed, Lacy carried the ball less in 2014 than he did in 2013. Thirty eight fewer times to be exact.
Lacy has also said he’s fresher right now than he was at this time last year, when he entered the playoffs nursing an injured ankle.
Is that by design? Maybe, maybe not.
Obviously, the Packers were forced to rely on Lacy last season because Rodgers missed numerous games because of a broken collarbone. With Rodgers healthy, Lacy’s carries were probably bound to decrease this season, whether by design or coincidence.
The fact remains that the Packers have a battering ram of a running back that’s both healthy and tailor-made for playoff football. The question is, will they use him appropriately?
We’re talking 20-plus carries a game.
History would seem to dictate they will. The last time the Packers were successful in the playoffs, James Starks played a major role, rushing for 315 yards during the team’s 2010 Super Bowl run. Starks, who was a rookie at the time, didn’t even start a game until the playoffs. He had just 29 carries in the regular season. However, that Starks does have one characteristic in common with Lacy this year.
Fresh legs.
Time to ride Eddie, if you ask us. In fact, that’s the only way we can see the Packers with a chance of getting by Seattle.
We’ll soon see if McCarthy agrees.
all the media is squawking about Dallas’ run game. I think ours is just as good, maybe better. Lacy is getting in a good groove and looks better now than at the beginning of the season. Murray was getting less yards per carry as the season ended. He may be showing signs of wear. Those guys used him pretty hard all season. But I think the key factor is Eddie is healthy. No nagging injuries. Which is what you want. Because, really, 38 carries less this season is only 2.375 carries less per game. Not much there.
and our O-line is playing the best ball of the season – run blocking and pass pro.
We will crush Dallas. It is going to be much more challenging to beat the Shehawks in Seattle. I really think that the stupid loss in Buffalo is going to end up costing us a shot at the trophy. I hope I am wrong….
The loss to Buffalo may have been a blessing in disguise. It was a wake-up call to the team. Sometimes a late season loss can be very beneficial.
The PACK want revenge in Seattle for week 1 & still have anger from the fail-mary….
It’s now or never! GPG, baby
Such a falacy im sorry. Pro football players dont need “wake up calls” and they dont “benefit” emotionally from losing. As someone who has played the game, this is a fans fantasy that has no real bearing on the real game.
Seattle is the better team right now, Green Bay simply needs to go to Seattle and win the turn over battle, get 20 points or more on offense, and limit Lynch as much as possible.
Do that and they can win.
When Detroit was dominating Dallas in the first half, they had 50/50 run/pass ratio. In the second half the Lions threw 75% of the time. They did the same thing in the regular season finale at Lambeau, only running Joique Bell a grand total of two times the entire second half, and zero times after the botched exchange with Stafford.
The Packers must stick with the run.
Agreed. One of my biggest past critisisms of MM has been his quick trigger in abandoning the run. If he does that tomorrow, we are in trouble. If he sticks with it, and lets Lacy continue to hammer that inspired, team 1st inspired, YET 2nd rate talented defense, Lacy goes off at some point and has a huge game. If MM lets Dallas turn us 1 dimensional pass, even as good as our oline is, I smell trouble.
I think the Packers saw what Detroit had in Green Bay week 17. I think the front office decided 2 weeks ago that they were playing Dallas at home. I think they will be prepared, big time.
Unless Aaron shits the bed or gets injured; OR MM decides to forget about my man Eddie Fucking Lacy, the Pack is winning tomorrow.
I got lambasted on this message board a while back for saying the number one goal of McCarthy is not to win every game, but to win The Super Bowl. Saving Lacy despite swallowing a loss is exactly the type of thing I was talking about. Saving our “best stuff“ for the playoffs so there isn’t film on it is also something I think McCarthy does.
This whole thing comes down to Rodgers’s leg. If he splits that fucker like he did last game, we might get past Dallas but that’s going to be it.
I’m a Flynn (one of the few by my account) die hard, but ma boy needs to be put to pasture.
And Tolzein is a total ham-n-egger.
My only Packer’s jersey is #27, but he alone can’t do it for us…Rodgers’s calf is the key.
Fuck Dallas and Go Pack!