The Reasons Behind Eddie Lacy's Slow Start for the Packers in 2014

Back in late August, Green Bay Packers running backs coach Sam Gash expressed his belief that Eddie Lacy—the NFL's Offensive Rookie of the Year last season—could lead the league in rushing yards in 2014. 

Now two weeks into the season, Lacy still hasn't found his footing. He has carried 25 times for just 77 yards, good for 3.1 yards per carry and a projected 16-game rushing total of 616 yards. His 77 rushing yards are tied with San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick for 38th in the NFL. 

Facing two stout defenses—both with game plans designed around taking away Lacy and the run game—has stifled Gash's prediction early on. A simple reduction of touches and a Week 1 concussion has also factored into Lacy's slow start. 

Despite being ranked 26th in the NFL in rushing yards after two weeks, Packers head coach Mike McCarthy did not express any concern Monday when asked about early production from the run game, via Packers.com.

"Statistics are for losers," McCarthy said, half smiling and half serious. "I feel good about our running game."

Last season, Lacy rushed for 1,184 yards, 11 touchdowns and 4.1 yards per carry. 

Before this season, Gash was confident he'd build off his productive rookie year and push for the rushing crown. 

"He has the capability of being the leading rusher and maybe even combined yards if he catches a lot of balls," Gash said in August, via Bob McGinn and Tyler Dunne of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. "I absolutely do think that." 

DeMarco Murray of the Dallas Cowboys currently leads the NFL with 285 rushing yards. 

Two games certainly do not make a season. After two weeks in 2013, Lacy had just 51 yards. He proceeded to roll off five straight games with at least 80 yards rushing. His final 13 games produced 1,127 rushing yards, or 86.7 per game. Only LeSean McCoy, last season's rushing leader, rushed for more (1,139).  

	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
Week 1*	12	34	2.8	0
Week 2	13	43	3.3	0
Total	25	77	3.1	0

The start of Lacy's 2014 season has been hampered by defensive game plans built on keeping the Packers from establishing and maintaining offensive balance. 

Against Seattle in the opener, Lacy rumbled for 21 yards on his first two carries of the first series but proceeded to rush for just 13 yards on his final 10 carries.

According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), Lacy finished with 34 rushing yards but had 35 after contact. He needed to break six tackles to average just 2.8 yards per carry. The numbers suggest that Seattle was getting a body on Lacy at or near the line of scrimmage on almost every carry. 

The tape backs up the "loser" statistics. 

On back-to-back plays in the first quarter of the opener, the Packers went into big formations, with two tight ends and only one receiver. Two runs from Lacy totaled just two yards; a run kicked out to the right side for zero yards and a middle run into a mass of bodies for two yards. On both plays, the Seahawks countered with eight men in the box. 

Here's what Lacy saw on his second of the carries mentioned above:

NFL Game Rewind

The Seahawks filled every gap and had at least two defenders running free at the ball-carrier. Lacy didn't have a lane and was forced to leap into the pile to gain two yards, setting up 3rd-and-long. 

Even when the Packers spread the Seahawks out and attempted to run the football from the shotgun, Seattle mostly stopped Lacy. His first run out of the shotgun went for 15 yards, but his next six netted only eight yards. 

Overall, 11 of Lacy's 13 carries against Seattle went for three yards or less. 

He played just 31 snaps, or 50 percent of the offense's total. He departed and did not return after sustaining a concussion in the fourth quarter.

The New York Jets were arguably more concerned with taking away Lacy. 

Instead of matching personnel with the Packers offense, Rex Ryan and his defense decided to stay in its base package—basically daring Green Bay to play one-dimensional. And that's exactly how the Packers called the game Sunday, dropping back Aaron Rodgers 49 times and giving Lacy just 13 carries. 

"The way the (Jets) defense played had a lot to do with throwing the ball as much as we did," McCarthy said.

The Packers threw on their first seven plays (not counting the botched snap on the first play) and 16 of their first 17. Lacy ran once for two yards on the offense's second possession and twice for three yards on the third series. 

McCarthy had no intention of running the football against New York's base defense. And Ryan had no intention of bringing on an extra cornerback when the Packers went with three-receiver personnel. 

Here is Lacy's second carry of the game:

NFL Game Rewind

It was simple football mathematics. The Jets had eight defenders in the picture and the Packers had just six blockers.

Calvin Pace (far left) was allowed to work down the line of scrimmage, free of a blocker. He took away the cutback lane on the backside. Safety Calvin Pryor is playing just 10 yards off the ball, keying the run. He isn't accounted for, but it doesn't matter. Nose tackle Damon Harrison tossed rookie center Corey Linsley aside and outside linebacker Quinton Coples beat right tackle Derek Sherrod to the inside to meet at Lacy for the stop. 

At the half, the Packers had run 41 plays. But Lacy was given just three carries for five yards, while Rodgers had 30 passing attempts and two scrambles for 19 yards. 

Lacy was given 10 carries in the second half, but only one gained more than five yards. Big plays in the running game have been hard to find. In fact, only two of Lacy's 25 carries this season have gained 10 or more yards. Yet 18 have netted three or less yards.

His usage is also down. 

Through two games, Lacy is averaging just 12.5 carries per game. He received 18.9 per game last season, which includes the one game he departed after just a single carry. Overall, his 284 carries ranked fifth in the NFL. He's on pace for just 200 in 2014. 

	Att	Yards	Avg	TD
Weeks 1-2	15	51	3.4	1
Weeks 4-17*	269	1,127	4.2	10
TOTALS	284	1,178	4.1	11

Of course, Lacy's 2013 season is still Exhibit A for how a slow start can suddenly transform into a productive finish.

The Seahawks (ranked seventh against the run in 2013 and ninth after two weeks in 2014) and Jets (currently No. 1 against the run) both made concentrated efforts to take him away to start 2014. Each succeeded. However, it's difficult to imagine too many teams being able to replicate the plans executed by Seattle and New York over the rest of this season. 

Zach Kruse covers the NFC North for Bleacher Report. 

Follow @zachkruse2