James Starks (L #44) and Alex Green (R #20) practice
Packer Nation held their breath when Green Bay Packer running back Cedric Benson went down in the week five match-up against the Indianapolis Colts.
News didn’t get any better when he was assigned to temporary injured reserve and would miss eight weeks.
Fast forward five weeks, and the Packer’s run game has averaged 102.7 yards without Benson. The Packers have had mixed results with Alex Green, but the return of James Starks to the lineup, teaming with Green, has seen better results.
Packer’s running back coach Alex Van Pelt said he’s encouraged by the strong performances from Starks and Green in the win over Arizona.
AUDIO: Van Pelt on Green v Cardinals :13
AUDIO: Van Pelt excited about Starks :15
Van Pelt said there’s light at the end of the tunnel with the Packers running backs. He said he’s looking forward to having a full stable of healthy backs, including Cedric Benson.
AUDIO: Van Pelt looking forward to healthy backfield:13
Benson has still had an impact on the running game and has stayed involved even while injured, according to Van Pelt.
AUDIO: Van Pelt on Benson’s involvement while injured :18
The Packers are coming off of their bye this weekend. They’ll travel to Detroit next Sunday to face the Lions.