Green Bay Packers’ Eddie Lacy Making Jump in Versatility

By Keegan Matheson | Nov 20, 2014

Green Bay Packers’ RB Eddie Lacy is not the same player that he was in 2013, and that’s not always a bad thing. At times, Lacy has strayed from his punishing north-south running style that led him to a 1,178 yard rookie season. He has, however, become a more versatile running back, establishing himself as a weapon that opposing defenses must game plan against in the passing game.

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Lacy’s decreased impact on the ground has largely been the result of a limited workload, which leaves me confident that he will return to his more instinctive running style as the Green Bay Packers build his carries in the coming weeks. Through ten games, Eddie Lacy has carried the football an average of 12.9 times per game, a full 6.0 carries less than his 2013 rate.

With all eyes on Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, Lacy has established his early-season value to the Green Bay Packers in the passing game. Lacy has averaged 32.2 receiving yards per game this season, a big jump from his 17.1 mark in his rookie year. Lacy appears to still be trending upwards, as well.

In his past three games, Lacy has given the Green Bay Packers’ offense 14 receptions for 236 yards and 2 TD’s. The coverage has been focused on the outside weapons, of course, but with little threat of Tight End production over the middle, Lacy has not had the yards given to him. His 32-yard TD reception against the Philadelphia Eagles shows exactly why Aaron Rodgers will look to keep Lacy involved through the air.

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Rumbling down the left sideline, Eddie Lacy was the largest man involved, as the screen game eliminated the impact of any DE/DT. Loaded with momentum, Lacy was set up in space to run downhill against smaller members of the secondary. As is often the case when Lacy gets this matchup, players make a business decisions with a half-hearted tackle attempt.

The remaining schedule should see the Green Bay Packers lean much more heavily on Lacy, and I expect them to build him towards 20 carries weekly over their final few games. In the meantime, his added versatility and growth in the passing game will keep him contributing on all three downs.

Mike McCarthy is a smart football coach, and one who takes a long-term view on his teams and seasons. I believe Lacy’s usage is representative of that. Although it does seem that Lacy is having a “down” season at times, that is largely due to the frequency of his play, not the quality. This could change as early as Sunday, when the Green Bay Packers travel to Minnesota to face the Vikings, who have allowed 115.3 rushing yards per game this season.

Next: Packers have one of the biggest games left in regular season

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