When the Green Bay Packers selected running back Eddie Lacy in the second round of the 2013 NFL Draft, they hoped they would get a physical running back who defenses would struggle to tackle. The 5’11”, 250-pound Alabama alum lived up to his advanced billing, gaining more than 1,000 yards in his rookie season with the Packers. When the team needed him most, he stepped up and gained more than 100 yards in a game for the first time in his career. Today, we recall the first 100-yard rushing game by Packers running back Eddie Lacy.
Remembering the First 100-Yard Rushing Game by Packers RB Eddie Lacy: The Build Up
The Packers came into this Week 6 matchup against the defending Super Bowl champions with a 2-2 record. The Baltimore Ravens entered the game with a 3-2 mark. They had also won their last 13 home games against NFC opponents.
The Packers entered the game without Pro Bowl linebacker Clay Matthews. They knew they were in for a tough, physical battle against a Ravens team with an outstanding defense.
Aaron Rodgers and company couldn’t afford another loss if they had hopes of competing in the NFC North and the Ravens would give them their sternest test of the young season.
Injuries Hurt the Packers Early
The game took on a physical tone right away. The Packers gave the ball to Lacy on the first two plays from scrimmage and he made an immediate impact. They sent him off the left side for two consecutive plays and blocks by Josh Sitton helped spring him for 10 yards on the first play of the game, followed by a 37-yard gain on the next. That set up a 45-yard field goal by Mason Crosby and the Packers led early 3-0.
In the second quarter, the Ravens got the ball at their own 41 after John Kuhn muffed a short punt. A few plays later, Joe Flacco found tight end Dallas Clark for a 45-yard pass that put the ball at the Green Bay 14. A defensive holding penalty on Sam Shields gave Baltimore a first-and-goal at the Green Bay four.
But from there the Packers defense stiffened. Three runs by running back Ray Rice got the ball to the Packers one. On fourth-and-goal, the Ravens decided to go for it. Bernard Pierce ran off the left side, but Mike Daniels and Micah Hyde stopped him short of the goal line and the Ravens came away empty.
The Packers cashed in on a turnover in the closing seconds of the half to add to their lead. Nick Perry sacked Flacco and knocked the ball loose and Datone Jones recovered and rumbled 20 yards to the Ravens 13. With two seconds left in the half, Crosby booted a 31-yard field goal, and the Pack led 6-0 at the intermission.
Unfortunately, the Packers would have to play the rest of the game without two of their top three receivers as both James Jones and Randall Cobb were knocked out of the game with injuries. That meant Jared Boykin had to step up for the Packers.
Remembering the First 100-Yard Rushing Game by Packers RB Eddie Lacy: The Offenses Wake Up
Boykin had trouble running the right routes when he first came into the game but midway through the third quarter, he and Rodgers got on the same page. Rodgers found him for a short pass on the left side that Boykin turned into a 43-yard gain. That set up a 50-yard field goal by Crosby and the Packers led 9-0.
The Ravens answered immediately. Flacco found Marlon Brown over the middle for a 59-yard pass before M.D. Jennings tackled him at the Green Bay 6. That set up a 23-yard field goal by Justin Tucker and the Packers lead was cut to 9-3.
Now it was the Packers turn to score. After two runs by Lacy and one by Rodgers, the quarterback found Jordy Nelson deep down the middle for a 64-yard touchdown pass. The Packers lead was now 16-3 with 2:22 left in the third quarter.
Now it was Flacco’s turn. He mixed his receivers well and led the Ravens on a 10-play, 80-yard touchdown drive that ended on an 11-yard touchdown pass to Jacoby Jones. That made it a one-score game again as the Packers led was just 16-10 with 11:58 left in the game.
This is where Lacy put the team on his back. He carried the ball six times for 31 yards as part of a 12-play, 72-yard drive that took 7:35 seconds off the clock. Crosby’s 31-yard field goal with 4:20 left made it a two-score game again as the Packers led 19-10.
The Packers Clinch the Win
The Ravens responded like the Super Bowl champs they were. Flacco found Tandon Doss deep down the middle for 63 yards to set up an 18-yard touchdown toss to Clark. That made the score 19-17 Green Bay. There was still 2:07 left in the game and Baltimore had all three of their timeouts.
But the Packers made sure the Ravens never got the ball back. Lacy carried four more times for 13 yards and Rodgers found tight end Jermichael Finley on a 52-yard pass play over the middle. The Packers ran out the clock and won the game.
Lacy finished the game with 120 yards on 23 carries. Nelson had four catches for 113 yards and a touchdown while A.J. Hawk had three sacks for the Green Bay defense.
Remembering the First 100-Yard Rushing Game by Packers RB Eddie Lacy: Postgame Thoughts
“I’m very proud of the football team, I’m very proud of Eddie [Lacy],” Packers head coach Mike McCarthy said. “I thought Eddie did an excellent job of staying patient, really driving his back foot and falling forward just to ice the game. Our offensive line wanted the ball at the end of the game, and we gave it to them and Eddie Lacy finished it.”
The Ravens were impressed by the Packers rookie running back. “He’s a hard runner, he’s tough,” safety James Ihedigbo said when asked about Lacy. “I hit him a couple of times and he barely moved. He’s definitely a physical player.”
Hawk was pleased by how the Packers overcame their assorted injuries. “It’s kind of been our motto for a long time around here: ‘Next man up.’ We have to make it work,” he said. “We had a lot of young guys out there today who really did a good job.”
“Days like today remind you of why you love this game so much,” Rodgers added. “Offensively we’re struggling a little bit, but we found a way to make enough plays to win.”
“We knew this was going to be a clash of two heavyweights getting after it, and that’s what you got today,” McCarthy said. “We were fortunate enough to come out on top.”
The Aftermath
Unfortunately, the Packers had to deal with more injuries that season as Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone in a loss to the Bears at midseason. Scott Tolzien and Matt Flynn held things together until Rodgers returned to lead the Packers to a division crown with an 8-7-1 mark.
Lacy established himself as a go-to runner. He gained a career-high 1,178 yards and ran for 11 touchdowns that season. He followed that up with another 1,000-yard season in 2014.
This was the first time Lacy topped 100 yards in a game, and he made a big impact in a hard-fought win against the defending Super Bowl champions.
