James Starks came into the Green Bay Packers’ Week 2 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks with plans of being a backup running back. He ended up being one of the major keys to a huge Packers’ win and getting revenge for their embarrassing loss in the NFC Championship game last year.
After seeing star running back Eddie Lacy go down with an ankle injury, Starks was forced to come in as the only active actual running back on the roster.
Throughout the course of the game, Starks ended up carrying the football 20 times for 95 yards. He also caught four passes for 11 yards on the evening as well. Green Bay couldn’t have come away with the big victory without Starks on the field and they have to be encouraged that they have an option to replace Lacy if he needs time off down the stretch of the season.
At 29 years old, Starks is without question one of the more underrated backup running backs in the NFL. He is without question capable of coming through with big performances each and every time he gets consistent playing time.
Green Bay is without question one of the top teams in the NFL this season and they are in need of as much depth as possible. Starks provides them with depth at a position that is more important to the Packers’ success than many would believe. He will continue to see a role with the Packers over the rest of the season, although depending on how serious Lacy’s injury is he could end up starting.
Needless to say, the Packers have to be happy to have gotten the monkey off of their back from the loss in the playoffs last year. Starks may not end up being a huge piece of the puzzle for them throughout the remainder of the season, but tonight could end up being a major key for their Super Bowl hopes. Being able to play all of their NFC playoff games at Lambeau Field is a huge part of what the Packers are trying to do this season.
It will be interesting to hear how serious Lacy’s ankle injury is over the next few days. Starks definitely put the Packers at rest with his performance and they will be in very capable hands if Lacy does miss significant time.
