Eddie Lacy: Packers Need RB to Break Out in 2015

By Evan Massey | Mar 18, 2015

The Green Bay Packers need talented running back Eddie Lacy to break out in 2015 to complete their all-around star-studded offense.

Eddie Lacy has now had two very good seasons with the Green Bay Packers after being drafted with the 61st overall pick in the 2013 NFL Draft. It appears that he is on his way to stardom, but the Packers need him to recognize that stardom and break out in 2015 in order for their offense to be complete.

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It has already been a very successful offseason for the Packers, who were able to retain both Randall Cobb and Bryan Bulaga. Both players returned to Green Bay on hometown discounts, and it is obvious that there is a strong belief among the players that the Packers are primed to win another Super Bowl. The offense is star-studded, but it will need Lacy to come through with a big season in order to live up to its full potential.

Aaron Rodgers is the best quarterback in the NFL, there is no question about that. He can power the Packers to the playoffs and quite possibly make a deep run once again by himself. That being said, he cannot win a Super Bowl by himself which is where Lacy comes into the picture.

Lacy took a step forward last season in his second year, running for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns on 246 carries.

He raised his yards per carry average from 4.1 yards per attempt to 4.6, and also stepped up as a receiver out of the backfield. Lacy caught 42 passes for 427 yards and four touchdowns, and was very difficult for defenders to stop once he got going off of dump offs and screen passes. Rodgers looked to Lacy out of the backfield quite often, and it even became an actual go-to play-call for Mike McCarthy later on in the regular season.

At 24 years, Lacy is entering the beginning of his prime and will receive a big role once again in 2015. The Packers have Jordy Nelson, Randall Cobb, and an impressive second-year receiver in Davante Adams. They are going to have one of the most dangerous aerial attacks once again this season, but they need Lacy to pound the football consistently on the ground to force defenses to respect the run.

If he can do that, then Rodgers is going to be nearly unstoppable this year. Defenses have enough difficulty stopping him when the ground game isn’t dominating.

Green Bay ended up ranked 11th on the season in rushing yards per game, putting up 119.8 yards per contest. That number needs to remain steady or improve in order for their offense to be as good as it can be. Lacy has been a major key for the Packers over each of his first two seasons, and he will be even more important in his third year.

Needless to say, the 2015 season is going to be very exciting for Packers fans. It is very obvious that the team wants to get back down to business following their disappointing loss against the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC Championship game last year. They have all of the talent in the world to make a run in 2015, and they should be a better all-around team than they were this year.

Pressure can’t be put completely on one player to propel the offense forward, but Lacy is going to be a major key for Green Bay. If the ground game is on, there aren’t many defenses that stand a chance against the Packers.

Expect to see yet another impressive year from Lacy this coming season, and for the Packers’ offense to be among the best in the NFL once again.

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