Green Bay Packers: Improved Rushing Attack Must Continue vs. Arizona Cardinals
By Nick Ziegler
The Green Bay Packers came in the 2015 NFL Playoffs with a lot of problems, but against the Washington Redskins, the Packers looked great.
It was shocking to see how much the Packers’ offense struggled at times this season, as Aaron Rodgers looked very human at times this season. The loss of their No.1 wide receiver Jordy Nelson certainly affected the offense, but the Packers had plenty of issues in addition to the injury to Nelson.
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The Packers’ offensive line has had a lot of injuries to deal with and it has caused a lot of mixing a matching to protect Rodgers this season, and the makeshift offensive line has also affected the Packers’ ability to run the football.
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In the Packers’ backfield this season, there was a lot of uncertainty week-to-week, as Eddie Lacy’s struggles and injuries led to more of James Starks, who had a pretty solid regular season. In 2015, Starks totaled 601 rushing yards, two rushing touchdowns, and 4.1 yards per carry average.
Even though it was a good season for Starks, it was a very disappointing season for Lacy. After two straight seasons of at least 1,100 yards rushing, Lacy totaled just 758 rushing yards this season. When Lacy is running well, it clearly helps Rodgers and the passing offense, but his play this season was very disappointing.
Coming into the playoffs, many people believed that the Redskins would be able to send the Packers home in the first round, as this didn’t look like the Packers team we have grown accustom to.
After a dominating first quarter by the Redskins, the Packers really turned it on and looked like the team we saw in the beginning of the season, and in years past. Much of the reason for the turn around on the Packers’ offense was because of their great balance.
Without Nelson and DaVante Adams for part of the game against the Redskins, Rodgers needed to have an effective running game, and his duo of running backs played very well against the Redskins. Lacy was the Packers’ leading rushing in the win, as he totaled 63 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 5.3 yards per carry average.
James Starks also played very well in the backfield, as he totaled 53 rushing yards, one rushing touchdown, and 4.4 yards per carry average. The Packers also used wide receiver Randall Cobb in the backfield very often, as he totaled five carries for 24 yards.
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The Packers will need to play a nearly perfect game against the Arizona Cardinals in the Divisional Round, as the Cardinals are one of the favorites to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl.
In Week 16, the Cardinals were able to destroy the Packers at home, as the defeated them 38-8 at home. The loss to the Cardinals was not a good game for Rodgers, who totaled just 151 passing yards. Turnovers were a big problem for the Packers in that game, as they totaled four turnovers in the loss.
The Cardinals have a very talented offense led by Carson Palmer, and if the Packers want to defeat them, they need to keep Palmer off the field. It is surprising to say with a quarterback like Rodgers on the Packers, but their best chance to upset the Cardinals may be to do it the old school way by running the football.