Green Bay Packers running back Eddie Lacy runs against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of an NFL football game in Santa Clara, Calif in this file photo from Oct. 4, 2015. Green Bay could use a vintage Lacy on Sunday night in Denver against the Broncos’ tough defence in a matchup of 6-0 teams.Marcio Jose Sanchez/The Associated Press
At some point over the past week or so, Eddie Lacy noticed something different on film about how he was running with the ball.
He was hitting the hole more upright, making it easier for a defender to take him down. Maybe this is why the Packers' bullish running back is off to another sluggish start.
A sprained right ankle in Week 2 didn't help, either. A bye week gave Lacy rest, and the third-year back noticed his glitch on film.
"I'm moving better, I'm hitting the holes better, I'm getting my pads lower," Lacy said Thursday. "I felt like I was running high in the beginning part of this season. I don't know, I feel like I'm getting back to where I was."
Green Bay could use a vintage Lacy on Sunday night in Denver against the Broncos' tough defence in a matchup of 6-0 teams.
"I just go based off what he's done the last couple days and he looks like he's starting to get back to himself," coach Mike McCarthy said.
At his best, the 5-foot-11, 234-pound Lacy is a punishing counter-punch for an offence that relies on the precision passing of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Lacy is also a slow starter, with 260 yards on the season on 67 carries, averaging 3.9 yards a carry. In the Packers' last game against San Diego, backup James Starks started and ran for 112 yards on 10 carries. Lacy finished with 4 yards on three carries. He said he wasn't limited by his ankle injury, and understood why McCarthy stuck with Starks given the backup's production.
Last year through six games, Lacy had 306 yards on 80 carries, averaging 3.8 yards an attempt. He finished with 1,139 yards for that season on 246 carries, averaging 4.6 yards. So what has happened so far this season?
"I noticed I would take a hit and I would break the tackle, but I would break it sideways, which allows other people to come tackle me, versus in years past my pads would be low," Lacy explained. "So when I take the hit, I'm still moving forward. It's just getting my pads down and getting back to basics."
The lack of production doesn't fall just on Lacy's broad shoulders. Defences don't have to keep two safeties deep as much any more with deep-threat receiver Jordy Nelson sidelined with a torn right ACL. Most of the other main receivers have dealt with lingering injuries.
"There [are] things that we can clean up. "We can be better, I know that for sure," right tackle Bryan Bulaga said about run blocking. "We have to take full advantage of it and move people off the ball and give James and Eddie … room to operate."
On Thursday, McCarthy was also asked whether Lacy's weight was affecting the ability to do his job. It's a topic of interest among some Packers fans on radio shows and Internet message boards.
"I would say not. There's more into it than just what you weigh on a scale. This is for every player," McCarthy said.
That process, McCarthy said, includes co-ordinating with the strength coach and nutritionist, along with trainers and other coaches, about body composition and related issues.