DENVER – Eddie Lacy’s size, a major topic of conversation since he carried only four times in the Green Bay Packers’ last game, helped him on Sunday night against the Denver Broncos.

Lacy barreled over linebacker Brandon Marshall, all 250 pounds of him, on his way to a 2-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

If Packers coach Mike McCarthy was trying to send Lacy a message by limiting him to only four carries in the last game before the bye, against the San Diego Chargers on Oct. 18, then perhaps it worked. Although Lacy didn’t put up big numbers, he was effective early on.

Unlike the last game, when James Starks got the start, McCarthy went with Lacy from the beginning. He was the most productive player during a first half in which the Packers couldn’t do much against the Broncos defense. He carried eight times for 35 yards, a respectable average of 4.4 yards per carry. His touchdown was the Packers' lone score in the first half.

Lacy refuted talk last week that he was overweight, saying, “I’m not the smallest person … I’m just saying, not everybody’s meant to look like Adrian Peterson."

McCarthy never said specifically why Lacy's role was reduced, although he said repeatedly that his Pro Bowl running back was "a little banged up." Lacy sustained an ankle injury in Week 2 against Seattle. He couldn't finish that game but returned the next week.