Bench Eddie Lacy?

[rodell330]

Maybe that'll be good for him as he's not done to much this year. He runs hard but so does Starks who is faster and less concussion prone. You still give him his carries but maybe coming off the bench will make him hungry like it did Starks. I had high hopes for this backfield but they have let me down so far. The play calling isn't helping and neither is the reluctancy to use Starks and Harris more... Even when you see Lacy struggling.

 

[Myndflyte]

I don't get why they don't try a traditional backfield and have a fullback leading the charge through the hole? I mean it doesn't help when Lacy is getting hit before he even gets to the line a scrimmage when it's an off tackle run. If the line can't handle the rush, then put a 2nd back in there to help out. And they got to stop with the stupid pitch sweep.

I don't know if benching Lacy outright would fix anything but maybe they shouldn't keep trying to use him as a 3-down back and give some other guys some reps.

 

[OCBP]

Maybe that'll be good for him as he's not done to much this year. He runs hard but so does Starks who is faster and less concussion prone. You still give him his carries but maybe coming off the bench will make him hungry like it did Starks. I had high hopes for this backfield but they have let me down so far. The play calling isn't helping and neither is the reluctancy to use Starks and Harris more... Even when you see Lacy struggling.

Very interesting that Starks wasn't on the field. Not sure what happened.

 

[longtimefan]

Very interesting that Starks wasn't on the field. Not sure what happened.

Was on special teams, dont think I ever seen him on offense tho

 

[OldSchool101]

Very interesting that Starks wasn't on the field. Not sure what happened.

I do concur my dear Watson.
I havnt taken the time to research (and probably won't) how many RB that have rushed for more than 5.0 yards a carry this year AND assuming they were healthy/active-- did not participate? I'm guessing Starks may hold that distinct honor all alone. Lol

 

[red4tribe]

I don't get why they don't try a traditional backfield and have a fullback leading the charge through the hole? I mean it doesn't help when Lacy is getting hit before he even gets to the line a scrimmage when it's an off tackle run. If the line can't handle the rush, then put a 2nd back in there to help out. And they got to stop with the stupid pitch sweep.

I don't know if benching Lacy outright would fix anything but maybe they shouldn't keep trying to use him as a 3-down back and give some other guys some reps.

I agree. What they are doing now isn't working, so try a fullback and maybe that'll clear some space for him an allow him to run downhill.

I wouldn't bench Lacy yet, but I'd certainly spell him with Starks a bit and if Lacy doesn't pick it up, go with the hot hand for the rest of the year.

 

[Shawnsta3]

I don't get why they don't try a traditional backfield and have a fullback leading the charge through the hole? I mean it doesn't help when Lacy is getting hit before he even gets to the line a scrimmage when it's an off tackle run. If the line can't handle the rush, then put a 2nd back in there to help

I agree. What they are doing now isn't working, so try a fullback and maybe that'll clear some space for him an allow him to run downhill.

I wouldn't bench Lacy yet, but I'd certainly spell him with Starks a bit and if Lacy doesn't pick it up, go with the hot hand for the rest of the year.

I agree with both of you. I don't know if Kuhn is the blocker he once was, or if you want to take the ball out of Rodgers hands this often but to get anything started look at what worked last year; heavy formations, two tight ends and a fullback. Everyone knew the Packers were running but you couldn't stop them. Kuhn and the tight ends have to step up in the blocking department for this to work though.

 

[rodell330]

I don't think Kuhn even saw the field now that I think about it...except on special teams. It wouldn't hurt to use a fullback or even double tightends to see if that'll get Lacy going. He's a Down Hill runner but for some reAson mM seems confident the sweep play will work?? maybe for Jamal Charles or Chris Johnson but that's not the play for Lacy dude come on. They showed a shot of Starks yesterday sitting on the bench near the end of the game when Rodgers was slapping 5 with the guys and Starks didn't look to happy. Is there a rift with him and the rb coach or are they just giving Lacy every opportunity to lose the job before they go with Starks? Either way Rodgers isn't going to throw 4 or 5 tds every game and have a 151.2 qb rating so someone has to emerge As the weather starts to change.

teams will never load the box against Rodgers but what they will do is drop extra guys into coverage (like lbs ) to try to stop him if we can't run the ball.

 

[Zeck180]

Lacy isn't like starks he needs a few yards to get up to speed, while starks can just zip right from the start.

 

[Myndflyte]

Lacy isn't like starks he needs a few yards to get up to speed, while starks can just zip right from the start.

All the more reason they should stop trying to run around the corner with Lacy. Starks may actually have a chance to turn the corner.

I don't get what the point of giving Kuhn that contract if they weren't going to use him. I think last week he was in on 3 plays and had maybe 1 on Sunday (aside from special teams).

 

[TJV]

They did have a lead blocker (mostly a TE) for him on at least a few plays but I agree Starks should be given at least a series each half as I think they were doing previously. I have noticed Lacy being more tentative than he was last season. He seems to be hesitating more rather than just charge ahead and getting whatever yardage there is to get. On one play Quarless was lined up off the LOS on the left. He positioned himself between the defender and the guy Bakhtiari was blocking. Neither was a great run block but if Lacy had run between those two blocks it was probably a 4 yard gain or so. Instead, he ran right into Quarless. That's obviously just one example but IMO he needs to run north and south more.

 

[PackerDNA]

They did have a lead blocker (mostly a TE) for him on at least a few plays but I agree Starks should be given at least a series each half as I think they were doing previously. I have noticed Lacy being more tentative than he was last season. He seems to be hesitating more rather than just charge ahead and getting whatever yardage there is to get. On one play Quarless was lined up off the LOS on the left. He positioned himself between the defender and the guy Bakhtiari was blocking. Neither was a great run block but if Lacy had run between those two blocks it was probably a 4 yard gain or so. Instead, he ran right into Quarless. That's obviously just one example but IMO he needs to run north and south more.

This. I don't think benching Lacy is the answer, but having a talk with him in the film room may be helpful.

 

[Kitten]

I wouldn't bench him as of yet. It's too early in the season to make that determination. He has been struggling but I would attribute that to ill effects from the concussion. I really think Lacy is a solid 2nd back to Starks if not equal to. He seems to take a bit longer to get going and we didn't run all that much against the Bears. Once Lacy has a full head of steam, he has proven to be explosive. My stance with Lacy is be patient.

 

[7thFloorRA]

His vision yesterday was concerning. He went into bodies instead of into holes and on one particular play he bounced out to the left and instead of cutting back to the hole he ran straight into bahk. All he had to do was not run into his own man and he would have gotten a few yards....instead he ran right into him and had a 2 yard loss.

 

[Myndflyte]

They did have a lead blocker (mostly a TE) for him on at least a few plays but I agree Starks should be given at least a series each half as I think they were doing previously. I have noticed Lacy being more tentative than he was last season. He seems to be hesitating more rather than just charge ahead and getting whatever yardage there is to get. On one play Quarless was lined up off the LOS on the left. He positioned himself between the defender and the guy Bakhtiari was blocking. Neither was a great run block but if Lacy had run between those two blocks it was probably a 4 yard gain or so. Instead, he ran right into Quarless. That's obviously just one example but IMO he needs to run north and south more.

This. I don't think benching Lacy is the answer, but having a talk with him in the film room may be helpful.

I completely agree as well. I think those concussions are getting to him because before he would bring his pads down and lower the boom but now he likes to stutter step before getting to the hole. I think I saw one play yesterday where he actually lowered his shoulders while running through the hole. You can't tell me the coaches aren't seeing this stuff too. I honestly think the concussions have spooked him.

 

[GoPGo]

Jimmy Johnson benched Emmitt Smith for a game one time. Might not hurt.

 

[Chicocheese]

I actually considered starting a similar thread. However, my title would have been something like "Lacy's Problems: O-Line, Play Calling, or Lacy?"

Personally I think it is more o-line and play calling than it is Lacy's problem. Lacy is still running hard, Lacy is still getting good 5-9 yard gains when he gets a decent hole. They are just fewer and farther between this year. I mean Lacy was averaging 5ypc in preseason against #1 defenses.

McCarthy needs to hold off on the sweep calls, and the o-line MUST do better at creating running lanes. I look at DeMarco Murray as an example of what can happen when you have a good O-Line. Murray has been injured in the past, just like Lacy has, and he is also a tough and talented runner who has always been pretty decent. However this year he is tearing it up because the Cowboys have 3 #1 picks in the last 4 years on the O-line. Now DeMarco Murray is at 575 yards on the season @ week 4!

Here is hoping Lacy gets his first 100 yard game of the season on Thursday and another TD!

 

[Chicocheese]

I don't think Kuhn even saw the field now that I think about it...except on special teams. It wouldn't hurt to use a fullback or even double tightends to see if that'll get Lacy going. He's a Down Hill runner but for some reAson mM seems confident the sweep play will work?? maybe for Jamal Charles or Chris Johnson but that's not the play for Lacy dude come on. They showed a shot of Starks yesterday sitting on the bench near the end of the game when Rodgers was slapping 5 with the guys and Starks didn't look to happy. Is there a rift with him and the rb coach or are they just giving Lacy every opportunity to lose the job before they go with Starks? Either way Rodgers isn't going to throw 4 or 5 tds every game and have a 151.2 qb rating so someone has to emerge As the weather starts to change.

teams will never load the box against Rodgers but what they will do is drop extra guys into coverage (like lbs ) to try to stop him if we can't run the ball.

I fully agree with the statement in bold. I am probably the biggest Rodgers fan on the planet, but seeing us pass for a TD when we are within the 7 yard line just irks me. Yes it has been working, and you have to do what works but Lacy is a beast as is Starks, let them do their jobs!

Also, Lacy looked REALLY good on that 2nd TD of his that was called back

 

[brandon2348]

Well I hope MM watched KC game tonight and saw Chiefs running "Near I" and "Far I" formations in there run game and plowing. That's how Lacy needs to be run. Feed him like a horse.

Yeah bench Lacy if your gonna use him like a "scat back" because he isn't obviously.

 

[rodell330]

Well I hope MM watched KC game tonight and saw Chiefs running "Near I" and "Far I" formations in there run game and plowing. That's how Lacy needs to be run. Feed him like a horse.

Yeah bench Lacy if your gonna use him like a "scat back" because he isn't obviously.

Ye no kidding right. The other big difference is Reid runs a true west coast offense and they power block not this zone hooblah.

 

[HardRightEdge]

I disagree with these critiques of Lacy.

Start with the first play of the game where Rodgers gets blown back into Lacy's face in the cutback hole. So, start with the fact we don't have a TE who can run block.

Further, if anybody was wondering why there were gaping holes in Chicago's zone for Rodgers to throw into all day, it was because Briggs and Bostick were playing 3-4 yds off the line of scrimmage all day and biting on play action. While this offense might struggle against a 7 man cover 2, Rodgers will dine all day on 5 men dropping.

It was evident stopping Lacy was a Bears game plan priority. Starks does not, at this juncture, elicit such fear.

Lastly, Starks has bad hands and is a poor blocker...he's one dimensional all day. Since he's strictly a relief guy because of those shortcomings, and since we only ran 47 offensive plays, there wasn't much need to bring him in.

The good news is Briggs and Bostick could not convert their tight box play to pass rush off the play action. Except for the 4 holding/hands to the face calls in pass blocking, the line was outstanding...cleanest pocket on a consistent basis in a long time. Stud: That flu virus that bit Allen.

 

[brandon2348]

I disagree with these critiques of Lacy.

Start with the first play of the game where Rodgers gets blown back into Lacy's face in the cutback hole. So, start with the fact we don't have a TE who can run block.

Further, if anybody was wondering why there were gaping holes in Chicago's zone for Rodgers to throw into all day, it was because Briggs and Bostick were playing 3-4 yds off the line of scrimmage all day and biting on play action. While this offense might struggle against a 7 man cover 2, Rodgers will dine all day on 5 men dropping.

It was evident stopping Lacy was a Bears game play priority. Starks does not, at this juncture, elicit such fear.

Lastly, Starks has bad hands and is a poor blocker...he's one dimensional all day. Since he's strictly a relief guy because of those shortcomings, and since we only ran 47 offensive plays, there wasn't much need to bring him in.

The good news is Briggs and Bostick could not convert their tight box play to pass rush off the play action. Except for the 4 holding/hands to the face calls in pass blocking, the line was outstanding...cleanest pocket on a consistent basis in a long time. Stud: That flu virus that bit Allen.

Yeah, as long as they get run game kicked into gear come late fall and winter that works. Might even be good to dose Lacy down in carries and save him a little. I am hoping come later down the road we will see more formations and blocking schemes to better utilize Lacy.

He is a power back and you want him going forward running "down hill"

 

[searmh]

id go with Starks, im not a big fan but he has done well in trhe carries he has had, lacys confidence must be shot and we really need to establish some type of run

 

[Ceodore]

I think the problem is 50/50 O-line and Lacy's tentativeness. The line isn't making hole for him, but Lacy at his best last year was taking nothing and turning into an 8 yard gain by plowing straight ahead. This year he's dancing all around trying to find gaps that may or may not be there as opposed to making a hole.

I personally think that because he's racked up a couple of concussions early in his NFL career he's afraid of getting his bell rung again thus not being the bulldozer he was last year. Heck maybe he's even being coached that way to prolong his career.

Don't know why you wouldn't give Starks a shot, even Harris for that matter.

 

[JBlood]

teams will never load the box against Rodgers but what they will do is drop extra guys into coverage (like lbs ) to try to stop him if we can't run the ball.

That's right. The good teams, i.e., the ones you need to beat in the playoffs, only rush 4 against the Packers and put tremendous pressure on Rogers. And they stop our running game doing the same thing. That's what you do if you control the LOS.