Establishing Run Key to Reinvigorating Green Bay Packers Offense

Many factors contributed to the Green Bay Packers' turnaround on offense Sunday in their win over the Dallas Cowboys.

Was it the confidence built by the late-game heroics that led to their come-from-behind win over the Detroit Lions in Week 13 carrying over?

Perhaps a large part of the shift was due to head coach Mike McCarthy taking over play-calling duties from associate head coach Tom Clements. 

But the most direct impact on the game's 28-7 outcome—Green Bay's most decisive margin of victory all season—was the success the Packers found on the ground, which can certainly be traced back to the surge in confidence from one particular player: running back Eddie Lacy. 

Lacy has learned a valuable lesson through a tough 2015 season.

After struggling with ankle and knee injuries, enduring speculation that he has gained too much weight to be effective, losing his starting role to James Starks in Week 11 and the Packers benching him in Week 13 after missing curfew, Lacy has realized that despite his high draft selection and past success, the starting job is not his indefinitely.

Luckily for the Packers, Lacy seems to have channeled that realization into effort and production on the field.

Combined with McCarthy's ground-and-pound attack in bad weather against Dallas, it made for excellent results. 

"I wanna thank coach for taking it away from me so I can go through that and know that's not where I want to be and then giving me another chance to redeem myself," Lacy emotionally told sideline reporter Erin Andrews after the game on the Fox broadcast. 

Lacy and McCarthy had a meeting Thursday prior to the matchup with Dallas to discuss his mistake, and it appears to have resulted in a more motivated Lacy and a more trusting head coach. 

"Everything Eddie wants to accomplish is right there in front of him," McCarthy said Thursday, per ESPN.com's Rob Demovsky. "Everything is in front of him. If Eddie or any other player wants to jump up and grab that opportunity, it's right in front of them." 

Lacy took the challenge to heart, and McCarthy stuck to his word by rewarding Lacy with the starting job after an excellent week of practice, as ESPN's Ed Werder reported Sunday: 

With the rain pouring down at Lambeau Field, McCarthy wasted no time getting the running game going.

The Packers fed Lacy early and often in the first half, bringing Starks in as a change-of-pace back when necessary. In fact, on Green Bay's first drive, the Packers ran the ball four times in a row with Lacy and passed just once. 

With McCarthy at the helm, that play-selection pattern would continue through the game. 

As Demovsky pointed out, the Packers rushed more in the first half against the Cowboys than in any other (Clements-called) game this season:

The one-two punch of Lacy and Starks combined with McCarthy's commitment to the run game paid dividends for the Packers, who finished with 230 total yards rushing, with 124 of those coming from Lacy on 24 carries, and another 71 from Starks on 11 carries. 

The Packers haven't approached anything close to 230 rushing yards in any previous game this season, with their second-highest total being 177 against the Chicago Bears in Week 12. 

Starks had the Packers' first score of the day in the second quarter on a reception, but both backs scored on the ground in the fourth quarter to help increase Green Bay's lead from a tenuous 14-7 to a decisive 28-7. 

Lacy and Starks averaged over five and six yards per carry, respectively.  

"We all had the same mindset," Lacy told Andrews when asked about the Packers' game plan regarding the run. "The offensive line took that as a challenge and gave me and Starks holes."

Jeffrey Phelps/Associated Press/Associated Press

Indeed, the offensive line, bolstered by the return of right tackle Bryan Bulaga, did a nice job supporting the run game and in pass protection. 

The success of the run game and the improved play by the line created opportunities for Aaron Rodgers in the passing game, the result of a well-balanced game plan executed effectively. 

"They make our offense go. Whenever they're on like they are, it opens up everything for everybody," wide receiver Randall Cobb told NBC's Kathryn Tappen after the game, per NBC's game coverage. 

Cobb was Rodgers' biggest target in the passing game, catching eight balls for 81 yards. Tight end Richard Rodgers followed up his headline-making Hail Mary touchdown catch in Week 13 against Detroit with another score against the Cowboys. 

One of McCarthy's strengths as a play-caller is his focus on calling a balanced game, and he had success with that Sunday. He commented on the balance, per the Packers' official Twitter account:

The Packers called 20 run plays and 20 passing plays in the first half, a testament to the balance that McCarthy sought to achieve. 

With the head coach back on the sideline with the play sheet for the rest of the season, expect to see a lot more action coming out of the Packers backfield as the offense attempts to keep these improvements going heading into the postseason.