GREEN BAY—Signature Snaps is back, our look at the top plays from the previous season, along with a poll allowing you to vote for your favorite.
We'll start our review of 2013 with the top five running plays, listed and described here in chronological order.
Be sure to watch the video and vote in the poll. The top vote-getter in each Signature Snaps category will qualify for the final posting in the series, Play of the Year.
Top Five running plays of 2013
James Starks, 32-yard TD vs. Washington, Week 2
Taking over in the first quarter for Eddie Lacy, who left the game with a concussion, Starks had a dynamite day. This TD run punctuated a blowout and put the Packers ahead, 38-7, late in the third quarter.
The run also put Starks over 100 yards on the day – he would finish with 20 carries for 132 – breaking the Packers' long drought of 100-yard rushers that dated back to Starks in the first round of the 2010 playoffs (it dated back to Brandon Jackson in Week 5 of 2010 in the regular season). This was also the first of three TD runs of 25-plus yards for Starks on the season.
Johnathan Franklin, 51 yards at Cincinnati, Week 3
When Starks went down with an injury the following week and Lacy still out, the rookie Franklin stepped in and carried 13 times for 103 yards, the longest this 51-yard scamper midway through the third quarter that set up a touchdown for a 30-14 Green Bay lead.
Unfortunately, Franklin is better remembered for his late fourth-quarter fumble that was returned for the game-winning touchdown in a 34-30 loss. Nonetheless, the Packers found another option in the backfield on this day.
Randall Cobb, 67 yards vs. Detroit, Week 5
Lacy was back after the bye but the ground game was scuffling along with just 67 yards on 19 carries (3.5 avg.) when Cobb came in for a change of pace. The wide receiver took a pitch left midway through the third quarter and got around the corner, going 67 yards to set up a field goal that pushed the Packers' lead to 9-3 in an eventual 22-9 victory.
Eddie Lacy, 56 yards vs. Chicago, Week 9
After QB Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone on the game's first series, the Packers still nearly beat the Bears, mostly thanks to Lacy. His 56-yard run on Green Bay's first play from scrimmage in the second half took the ball down to the 1, and Lacy scored on the next play to tie the game at 17.
Lacy would finish the night with 22 carries for 150 yards, the second most rushing yards in franchise history by a rookie and the most by any Packers running back since 2007.
Eddie Lacy, 60 yards at Dallas, Week 15
Once again it was on the Packers' first snap of the second half that Lacy got loose, this time for 60 yards down the sideline, the play that sparked Green Bay's comeback from a 26-3 halftime deficit.
Three plays later, backup QB Matt Flynn hit WR Jordy Nelson for a 13-yard TD, and the Packers were on their way to rallying for a 37-36 victory, tying the largest scoring margin ever overcome to win a game in franchise history.
Be sure to watch the video and vote for your favorite play in the poll.
