On a Wednesday evening conference call, Green Bay running back Eddie Lacy spoke about the changing look of the Packers offense, saying that players will need to step up to help fill the void left by the absence of quarterback Aaron Rodgers.

"(Our offense) changes a little bit, but guys are just going to have to step up," said Lacy. "Everybody knows what they're doing out there, and they're just going to have to go out and play."

Even when Rodgers was healthy, the Packers had been leaning more heavily on their running game than they had in years past. Lacy had a breakout game Monday night against Chicago rushing for 150 yards and a touchdown. Lacy ranks eighth in the NFL with 596 yards on the ground and has scored four touchdowns. According to Lacy, that focus on running the football goes a long way.

"Being able to add another dimension is great," said the rookie. "It keeps the defense guessing. They can't just sit out there and play the pass. Now they have to respect the run. I think the running back corps has done a great job of adding another dimension to this offense."

Lacy's contribution to the Packers offense has not gone unnoticed. According to head coach Mike McCarthy, Lacy has been everything that the team expected him to be when they selected him in the second round of the NFL Draft.

"Eddie is a heck of a football player," said McCarthy. "He's as good as advertised. He showed it in college and now he's getting better and better each week for us. I look for Eddie to keep working on the little things at the running back position, particularly the things we use him for. He's doing a good job of being a three-down back, which is a real credit for him. It's a challenge for any rookie going into a multiple offensive system, but he's a damn good football player."