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http://www.channel3000.com/sports/packers/lacy-not-running-from-criticism/28236462
Eddie Lacy isn’t worried about what the media thinks about how he’s started the season, and he’s not especially concerned about how the Green Bay Packers’ fan base feels, either.
But the Green Bay Packers second-year running back does care about his head coach’s opinion, and he wasn’t aware of Mike McCarthy’s comment from Monday.
So when Lacy was told at his locker Wednesday what the boss had said about him – “Eddie needs to play better,” McCarthy said during his day-after-the-game press briefing, adding later that he doesn’t “correct individuals in the media” – Lacy was initially taken aback.
“Oh yeah?” he said.
But Lacy wasn’t about to disagree with his coach’s assessment of his performance. Having been called out at Alabama by coach Nick Saban – “You can guess that answer,” Lacy said with a chuckle when asked if Saban had ever criticized him publicly – Lacy handled McCarthy’s comment just fine.
“As a player, I think when a coach calls you out that means he sees something in you that you can do or you need to work on and get better,” Lacy said. “I can always improve, just finding different things and just continue to get better. It’s a long season and I have a long way to go.”
On an offense where little has gone as planned so far this season, Lacy’s uneven performance has perhaps been the most surprising. The NFL offensive rookie of the year last season after rushing for a Packers rookie record 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns, Lacy had his third straight substandard game against Detroit last Sunday, rushing 11 times for 36 yards. As a team, the Packers rushed 22 times for 76 yards despite the Lions essentially daring them to run by playing their two safeties deep with five defensive backs on the field and only six defenders in the box.
Entering this Sunday’s game at Chicago, Lacy has carried 36 times for 113 yards, and McCarthy has harped on the team’s lack of production in the running game as the primary reason for the offense’s overall struggles. Offensive coordinator Tom Clements said on Monday that the running backs had “missed some holes,” but Lacy said upon watching the Detroit film that his biggest problem was not keeping his pads low as he encountered contact, not missing holes.
“I mean for me personally, there was a play or two (where he missed the hole), but for the most part I was where I was supposed to be,” Lacy said. “There were a few times last week where I was running kind of high and I just figured that out. This week, definitely get my pads down when I’m running.”
While McCarthy and Clements said there were holes for Lacy to hit, but appear to be fewer clean holes for Lacy than he had last year. According to Pro Football Focus, of Lacy’s 113 rushing yards, 88 have come after contact (77.8 percent). When Lacy ran for a combined 1,259 yards last season (including the playoff loss to San Francisco, 693 yards came after contact (55.1 percent).
“There were some instances where we might not have been on the same page or something like that, but it’s a long season,” Lacy said of his chemistry with the offensive line. “We have a long way to go and it’s something we’re going to get worked out.
“It’s just timing and knowing where they’re going to be – when they’re coming off of blocks, who they’re going to block next and just timing it up so when they get to that block you’ll be just about to reach the level that they’re on.”
The Bears could be just the defense Lacy and the Packers running game need. Through three games, Chicago is No. 26 in the 32-team league in run defense, allowing 144.7 yards per game. (The Packers defense, meanwhile, ranks 30th, allowing 156.3 yards per game.)
“I can do better. Everybody can do better. You’ve got to continue improving,” Lacy said. “But after running the ball the way that I did the past few games, you definitely get frustrated a little bit.
Lacy’s problems haven’t simply been related to his yardage. He also fumbled on the opening drive of the game Sunday, and Lions safety Don Carey returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. Later, Lacy was tackled in the end zone for a safety on a play that began at the 1-yard line.
The fumble earned him a spot on the bench, even though it was his first fumble lost since his NFL debut in last year’s regular-season opener, a span of 325 carries (including playoffs).
Asked if it was fair to get benched when he doesn’t have a track record of poor ball security, Lacy replied, “Sitting out is definitely frustrating, but it’s just a part of the game. It’s coach’s call, you just listen and whenever you get back in you make sure you have the ball and it’s secure.”
Lacy said he was never told he was yanked for the fumble but, “if I had to guess, I would say so.” The Bears have long had a reputation for taking the ball away, but Lacy said he doesn’t expect to lose a fumble two weeks in a row.
“It’s not an issue,” he said.
But the running game is an issue, and it’s up to him to fix it. Despite the presence of backup James Starks, who has carried 15 times for 75 yards (5.0-yard average) this season, Lacy believes it is his responsibility to get the rushing attack back to where everyone – including himself – expects it to be.
“I think it’s surprising for a lot of people. No one really expected it to be like this, but you can’t predict how things are going to go,” Lacy said. “You just have to go out and continue to play. It’ll get better throughout the course of the season but nobody really thought we’d run the ball the way we have the past few [games]. Everybody expected more.
“I haven’t done as good as I think I’m capable of. Going on from the past three games, it’s just trying to get better, whether it’s pad level like I keep saying, or slowing down or speeding up, whatever y’all want it to be. I just have to continue to get better.”
Eddie Lacy isn’t worried about what the media thinks about how he’s started the season, and he’s not especially concerned about how the Green Bay Packers’ fan base feels, either.
But the Green Bay Packers second-year running back does care about his head coach’s opinion, and he wasn’t aware of Mike McCarthy’s comment from Monday.
So when Lacy was told at his locker Wednesday what the boss had said about him – “Eddie needs to play better,” McCarthy said during his day-after-the-game press briefing, adding later that he doesn’t “correct individuals in the media” – Lacy was initially taken aback.
“Oh yeah?” he said.
But Lacy wasn’t about to disagree with his coach’s assessment of his performance. Having been called out at Alabama by coach Nick Saban – “You can guess that answer,” Lacy said with a chuckle when asked if Saban had ever criticized him publicly – Lacy handled McCarthy’s comment just fine.
“As a player, I think when a coach calls you out that means he sees something in you that you can do or you need to work on and get better,” Lacy said. “I can always improve, just finding different things and just continue to get better. It’s a long season and I have a long way to go.”
On an offense where little has gone as planned so far this season, Lacy’s uneven performance has perhaps been the most surprising. The NFL offensive rookie of the year last season after rushing for a Packers rookie record 1,178 yards and 11 touchdowns, Lacy had his third straight substandard game against Detroit last Sunday, rushing 11 times for 36 yards. As a team, the Packers rushed 22 times for 76 yards despite the Lions essentially daring them to run by playing their two safeties deep with five defensive backs on the field and only six defenders in the box.
Entering this Sunday’s game at Chicago, Lacy has carried 36 times for 113 yards, and McCarthy has harped on the team’s lack of production in the running game as the primary reason for the offense’s overall struggles. Offensive coordinator Tom Clements said on Monday that the running backs had “missed some holes,” but Lacy said upon watching the Detroit film that his biggest problem was not keeping his pads low as he encountered contact, not missing holes.
“I mean for me personally, there was a play or two (where he missed the hole), but for the most part I was where I was supposed to be,” Lacy said. “There were a few times last week where I was running kind of high and I just figured that out. This week, definitely get my pads down when I’m running.”
While McCarthy and Clements said there were holes for Lacy to hit, but appear to be fewer clean holes for Lacy than he had last year. According to Pro Football Focus, of Lacy’s 113 rushing yards, 88 have come after contact (77.8 percent). When Lacy ran for a combined 1,259 yards last season (including the playoff loss to San Francisco, 693 yards came after contact (55.1 percent).
“There were some instances where we might not have been on the same page or something like that, but it’s a long season,” Lacy said of his chemistry with the offensive line. “We have a long way to go and it’s something we’re going to get worked out.
“It’s just timing and knowing where they’re going to be – when they’re coming off of blocks, who they’re going to block next and just timing it up so when they get to that block you’ll be just about to reach the level that they’re on.”
The Bears could be just the defense Lacy and the Packers running game need. Through three games, Chicago is No. 26 in the 32-team league in run defense, allowing 144.7 yards per game. (The Packers defense, meanwhile, ranks 30th, allowing 156.3 yards per game.)
“I can do better. Everybody can do better. You’ve got to continue improving,” Lacy said. “But after running the ball the way that I did the past few games, you definitely get frustrated a little bit.
Lacy’s problems haven’t simply been related to his yardage. He also fumbled on the opening drive of the game Sunday, and Lions safety Don Carey returned it 40 yards for a touchdown. Later, Lacy was tackled in the end zone for a safety on a play that began at the 1-yard line.
The fumble earned him a spot on the bench, even though it was his first fumble lost since his NFL debut in last year’s regular-season opener, a span of 325 carries (including playoffs).
Asked if it was fair to get benched when he doesn’t have a track record of poor ball security, Lacy replied, “Sitting out is definitely frustrating, but it’s just a part of the game. It’s coach’s call, you just listen and whenever you get back in you make sure you have the ball and it’s secure.”
Lacy said he was never told he was yanked for the fumble but, “if I had to guess, I would say so.” The Bears have long had a reputation for taking the ball away, but Lacy said he doesn’t expect to lose a fumble two weeks in a row.
“It’s not an issue,” he said.
But the running game is an issue, and it’s up to him to fix it. Despite the presence of backup James Starks, who has carried 15 times for 75 yards (5.0-yard average) this season, Lacy believes it is his responsibility to get the rushing attack back to where everyone – including himself – expects it to be.
“I think it’s surprising for a lot of people. No one really expected it to be like this, but you can’t predict how things are going to go,” Lacy said. “You just have to go out and continue to play. It’ll get better throughout the course of the season but nobody really thought we’d run the ball the way we have the past few [games]. Everybody expected more.
“I haven’t done as good as I think I’m capable of. Going on from the past three games, it’s just trying to get better, whether it’s pad level like I keep saying, or slowing down or speeding up, whatever y’all want it to be. I just have to continue to get better.”
