The Green Bay Packers are without question one of the NFL’s best teams heading into the 2015 season, and Eddie Lacy is a big part of those expectations. Lacy has been one of the NFL’s most consistent running backs throughout his first two seasons in the league, and has been a 1,000-yard back in both of them. He got off to a bit of a slow start last year, but still came away with a monster season.
During the 2014 season with Green Bay, Lacy ended up carrying the football 246 times for 1,139 yards and nine touchdowns. He came on very strong late in the season in a big performance against the Detroit Lions that won the NFC North, and also had a big game against the Dallas Cowboys in the divisional round of the NFL playoffs. Lacy also was able to catch 42 passes for 427 yards and four touchdowns on the season.
GREEN BAY, WI – DECEMBER 08: Eddy Lacy #27 of the Green Bay Packers runs against the Atlanta Falcons at Lambeau Field on December 8, 2013 in Green Bay, Wisconsin. The Packers defeated the Falcons 22-21. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
Those numbers were a huge part of the Packers’ success, and he has balanced out of the offense perfectly for Aaron Rodgers. Without him being a threat on the ground, Green Bay would have to go up against defenses focused on locking down the passing game.
All of that being said, what can the Packers and their fans expect to see from Lacy during the 2015 season?
At 25 years old, Lacy is entering the prime of his career and has had two seasons to learn the NFL game. He is without question one of the most dominant running backs in the league, and fans can expect to see him replicate the same type of success that he has had throughout the last couple seasons.
Lacy is going to receive a very similar amount of carries during the 2015 season as he did last year. There is a chance that he could see a few more if the Packers choose not to use the dual-back system quite as much with James Starks, but that won’t be known until the season gets underway. Rodgers has an even more dangerous receiving corps than he has had in recent years, but they won’t get away from balancing the ground game in well with the aerial attack.
There is a good chance that he will receive an even larger role in the passing game as a receiver out of the backfield. He was able to make quite a few plays in the open field, and gave Rodgers yet another weapon when the pressure was applied on him by opposing defenses.
It is hard to predict what kind of numbers Lacy will put up this season, as it is difficult to predict any players stats. Despite that fact, it would be reasonable to assume that Lacy will carry the football at least 250 times for 1,200 or more yards, and around eight or nine touchdowns once again in 2015.
Expect to see him once again be a huge part of one of the best offenses in the NFL, and to be one of the league’s most consistent running backs. He has even more potential to unlock over the next couple seasons, and the Packers cannot wait to see what he can do. That will start this season, and Lacy will help the Packers as they look to get back to the NFC Championship game.
