Packers go ground and pound
Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy rushes in the first half against the Minnesota Vikings. (Oct. 27, 2013) Credit: AP
The Packers will be without All Pro quarterback Aaron Rodgers for at least the next month as he recovers from a broken collarbone he suffered against the Bears last week. That means there's plenty of pressure on backup quarterback Seneca Wallace, but perhaps even more on rookie running back Eddie Lacy. After all, the Packers figure to put much more of an emphasis on the running game.
ut Lacy may be up to the challenge. The former Alabama star, who slipped to the second round because of concerns about his work ethic and a lingering hamstring problem, has been terrific so far. He already has 596 rushing yards and four touchdowns. He has averaged 24 carries for 109 yards in his last five games since returning from a concussion, and had 150 yards in Monday night's loss to the Bears. Teammate James Starks has provided a good one-two punch, averaging 6.0 yards per carry.
"They made a concerted effort even before Aaron got hurt to run the ball, and they had been running the ball pretty effectively before Aaron got hurt," said Eagles coach Chip Kelly, who faces the Packers on Sunday. "It's a real concern of ours because they're two big backs, they're two physical backs."
