Before last week's game against the Detroit Lions, Green Bay coach Mike McCarthy announced James Starks would replace Eddie Lacy as the Packers' starting running back. Then Green Bay decided to hold Lacy out of Sunday's game all together because of a groin injury he'd suffered in the previous contest against the Carolina Panthers on Nov. 8.
The Packers lost to the Lions 18-16, their first defeat by Detroit at Lambeau Field since 1991. After winning its first six games, Green Bay has lost three in a row.
Trying to get back to the top of the NFC North, the Packers visit the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday afternoon. McCarthy said Starks will remain the starting running back, but Lacy will be back as the 2 in a "1-2 punch" on Sunday.
"I thought Eddie looked good yesterday," McCarthy said on Friday. "I thought he had one of his better practices. It looks like he's bouncing back."
Lacy said he wouldn't have been at 100 percent for last week's game.
"I was able to make like cuts at the line, but when it came to opening up and bursting downfield, I didn't feel as comfortable with it," Lacy said Wednesday. "But today I was able to do that, and like I said, was just moving in a positive direction. ... I felt good today. My (position) coach (Sam Gash) said I was moving good, I was looking good. So it's a step in the right direction."
The former Alabama standout ran for 1,178 yards in 2013, when he won the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Last season, he rushed for 1,139 yards, caught 42 passes and scored 13 touchdowns.
On Oct. 4, Lacy ran for 90 yards on 18 carries in Green Bay's 17-3 victory over the San Francisco 49ers. It appeared he'd gotten over the ankle injury suffered against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 20. In his four games since San Francisco, Lacy has 78 yards on 33 carries, leaving his previous outing early because of a groin injury.
"As an athlete, you want to be good all the time," Lacy said. "You want to be able to make big plays all the time. When things happen that's hindering you from doing that, it (stinks), and you get down a little bit. But, I mean, it's the NFL. It happens. It's all about getting out of the slump and how you get out of the slump."
Lacy said he's not concerned about his stats, but about getting Green Bay's season turned around.
"I'm going to be out to do whatever I can for this team," Lacy said. "However that unfolds, as long as whatever I'm doing is positive and helping us toward a 'W,' that's my main concern."
FOR MORE OF AL.COM'S COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE OF THE NFL, GO TO OUR NFL PAGE
Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers said getting the running game going again would help straighten out the Packers.
"Defenses are kind of dictating us throwing the ball a little bit more, so we need to be efficient to kind of throw it to set up the run," Rodgers said. "If we can do that, we need James and Eddie to make the right cuts and give us yards after contact."
Against Detroit last week, Starks gained 42 yards on 15 carries and quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw 61 passes.
"We haven't been where we'd like," McCarthy said. "Every year brings different challenges. It's something we have to overcome. Throwing the football 61 times, that's excessive."
The Packers and Vikings kick off at 3:25 p.m. CST Sunday at TCF Bank Stadium in Minneapolis. Green Bay's slide has allowed Minnesota to take over the top spot in the NFC North. The Vikings have a 7-2 mark.
