The Green Bay Packers are a bit shorthanded Sunday for their clash with the Dallas Cowboys. Backup running back James Starks did not practice all week and is out for the game with a knee injury.
Starks, starter Eddie Lacy, and fullback John Crockett are the only running backs the Packers have on the roster, so they'll enter the Cowboys game with only one real ball-carrying option in the backfield. Enter: Randall Cobb. NFL Network reported Sunday morning that the Packers are expected to use Cobb, the team's No. 2 receiver and a former Kentucky quarterback, as Lacy's backup.
Cobb has occasionally been used as a runner throughout his career, both on jet sweep plays and when lined up in the backfield. He has taken 45 carries for 314 yards (7.0) per attempt, but has never found the end zone with any of his runs.
Cobb has at least one carry in 29 of his 72 carries career games, but multiple carries in only 11 games. He has never had more than four carries in a game, which he did last December against the Oakland Raiders. During the games where he had multiple carries, he also averaged 5.9 catches for 66.5 yards per game, slight upticks from his career averages of 4.6 catches and 57.2 yards per game.
Considering Lacy has been dealing with an ankle injury this week himself, and that Cobb has been playing through a neck injury, it would not be a surprise if the Packers leaned on Aaron Rodgers and the passing game even more this week.
