Countdown to Kickoff: Profile on Green Bay Packers RB No. 27 Eddie Lacy
By Jeremy Klump
The NFL Spin Zone ‘Countdown to Kickoff’ series continues with 27 days until kickoff, profiling Green Bay Packers running back No. 27, Eddie Lacy.
Today is August 12, 2016, which means there are exactly 27 days until the NFL season kicks off.
As we wait for the two teams to kickoff the NFL season, the team at NFL Spin Zone has decided to profile a player whose number is associated with the amount of days until that first kickoff.
With that in mind, there are 27 days until football, so I will profile Green Bay Packers running back, No. 27 Eddie Lacy.
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The term ‘summer bod’ was in full effect for the former Alabama Crimson Tide running back, as Lacy was criticized in 2015 for being overweight. Well, Lacy said he was going to lose weight for the summer, just like we all say we want to do, however he was able to do so.
According to ESPN’s Rob Demovsky, Lacy came into camp lighter and the reason was the famous workout video, P90X, along with basketball, boxing and a change to his diet.
A big reason the criticism that came Lacy’s way was his disappointing 2015 season. After rushing for 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns in his rookie season, Lacy followed that with 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns in his sophomore season. Heading into his third NFL season, many expected big things out of the bruising, yet nimble back.
The only problem was that Lacy struggled in his third season. He ended the year with only 758 rushing yards and a disappointing three touchdowns. The down year led to many attacking Lacy, mainly going at his weight.
Well, Lacy has heard the talk and has walked the walk himself by losing the weight, so he heads into the 2016 season fresh and ready to prove many of his doubters wrong.
The Packers offense is poised for a big year, mainly because they have arguably the best quarterback in the NFL (third in my quarterback power rankings) in Aaron Rodgers. The 2011 and 2014 NFL MVP is looking to show he is the best quarterback in the NFL, with Lacy helping him show that. The Packers will get Jordy Nelson back from a torn ACL he suffered last season, so their top pass-catcher is ready to go as well.
Rodgers getting Nelson back is huge, but having Lacy back and ready to rumble is just as big. Lacy is a great compliment to the Packers offense and if he can be back to his 2013 and 2014 form, the Packers have a chance to do special things in 2016.
Many drafted Lacy early in their 2015 Fantasy Football drafts, which turned out to be a bust. Those same people should once again draft Lacy high because he should be able to get back to his RB1 form in 2016.
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Lacy is a talented back, and even though many make fun of him for his size, his feet are great. He can catch passes out of the backfield (97 receptions for 872 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons) and can hit the home run as well.
There are 27 days until the NFL football season kicks off, but I can bet that Lacy wishes it were less so he can get back to his Pro Bowl form this season.