Packers Would Be Smart to Rest Eddie Lacy in Week 15 Matchup vs. Bills

The Green Bay Packers are as hot as any team in the National Football League, winners of five straight and nine of their last 10. In the eyes of many pundits, the Packers are the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl XLIX.

However, as the team readies for a matchup in Buffalo with a desperate 7-6 Bills team, the Packers may be without a key offensive contributor in Week 15.

Actually, check that. If the Packers are wise, then they'll be without a key offensive contributor when they face the Bills on Sunday, as the smart play is to give banged-up running back Eddie Lacy the week off.

Lacy, who has already racked up over 1,200 total yards and scored 11 touchdowns this season, injured his hip in Monday night's win over the Atlanta Falcons. On Tuesday, head coach Mike McCarthy told Rob Demovsky of ESPN that he wasn't overly worried about the second year pro's status for Week 15:

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I don't have high concern based off the information talking with Doc McKenzie last night. Coming off a Monday night game, tomorrow will be a lot like a Tuesday. We'll see how these guys go through their examinations.

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However, by Thursday the outlook on Lacy's availability had darkened a bit:

Granted, some will say (quite possibly correctly) that the Packers are simply limiting Lacy's reps prior to Sunday's game.

Well, here's an idea. Limit them right through it.

Want a reason to sit Eddie Lacy against the Bills? Here's three.

First, in James Starks the Packers have one of the NFL's better reserve tailbacks. Granted, the sixth-year pro's 4.1 yards per carry in 2014 isn't eye-popping, but Starks has played the role of lead back before, can catch the ball out of the backfield and is capable of holding his own in pass protection.

In fact, earlier this week McCarthy lauded Starks' ability to step up when called upon while speaking with Demovsky:

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I just love the way James responds with his opportunities. Obviously, Eddie was the feature back two weeks ago, and we went into this with a 1-2 punch mentality and James was excellent. James Starks has played a lot of excellent football for us over the years, and I thought (Monday) night was one of his best nights.

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Second, it's not like the Packers are going to be pounding away between the tackles 30 times against the Bills. Buffalo ranks eighth in the National Football League in run defense, allowing just over 98 yards per game.

Yes, the team's pass defense is even stingier (fifth, at 212.8 yards per game), and the Bills just ended Peyton Manning's streak of consecutive games with a touchdown pass.

But, it's still not straining the bonds of credulity to suggest that Green Bay's best bet of attacking the Buffalo defense lies with that Rodgers fellow at quarterback, regardless of who is in the backfield.

I hear he's good or something.

Third, the Packers have more than just Sunday's game to consider. The Packers play the Detroit Lions in Week 17, in a game that could decide the NFC North. Green Bay is also very much in the hunt for home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, and scuttlebutt has it the weather can become slightly inclement in Wisconsin in January.

Snow. Wind. Polar bears at the 27-yard line. The whole bit.

That weather lends itself to the power run game. It's a large part of the reason Green Bay drafted Eddie Lacy to begin with.

And it's all the more reason to play it safe with Lacy in Week 15. With all due respect to a feisty Bills team that has exceeded expectations in 2014, the Packers should be able to handle Buffalo Lacy or no Lacy. If there's even a small chance that running Lacy out there Sunday could worsen his injury, sit him.

Do the same in Week 16 in Tampa if need be.

Actually, if Lacy's comments on Thursday are any indication, it appears that we may be headed in that direction:

And that's probably for the best. The Bills' postseason hopes may be on the line Sunday in Buffalo, but the only way the Packers' are going to be is if an ill-advised personnel move leads to disaster.

Gary Davenport is an NFL Analyst at Bleacher Report and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association and the Pro Football Writers of America. You can follow Gary on Twitter @IDPManor.