GREEN BAY, Wis. -- The Green Bay Packers weren't going to make the same mistake they did in the regular-season opener, when their respect for Seattle Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman caused them to throw away from him the entire game.
The opponent was different this time, but the idea was the same. The Detroit Lions brought the NFL's best run defense to Lambeau Field in Sunday's regular-season finale, and coach Mike McCarthy was not going to back down like he did in Seattle.
Even before quarterback Aaron Rodgers reinjured his left calf muscle late in the first half, McCarthy had decided to take the Lions' strength head on with running back Eddie Lacy.
"I had one goal in mind: to make sure he touched it 20 times," McCarthy said. "I had to make sure he got his trips to the plate against this defense. I thought our offensive line really looked forward to the challenge all week, both in the run blocking and the pass protection. And I thought Eddie definitely delivered."
With 100 yards on 26 attempts, Lacy became the first running back to reach triple figures on the Lions this season. Only one other team had even reached the 100-yard mark against the Lions this season, and that happened way back in Week 4, when the New York Jets ran for 132. The Packers bettered that with 152 yards against a run defense that ended up allowing just 69.3 yards per game this season.
Lacy said he had no idea that before Sunday no back had reached 100 yards against the Lions this season.
"I just knew it was tough to run the ball [against them]," said Lacy, who had just 36 yards on 11 carries in the Week 3 loss to the Lions at Ford Field.
With an offensive line that has been intact for all but one start this season and an 1,139-yard back in Lacy, the Packers finished 11th in the league in rushing yards per game.
If the Packers can run the ball against the Lions, perhaps they can run it on anyone they'll face in the postseason.
"I think we have that mentality every week," left guard Josh Sitton said. "This offensive line has kinda come together, and we've been playing some good ball and having some good games in big situations. … We played well. Eddie ran his [expletive] off. That guy's tough, man."