The quoted article makes the point that, statistically speaking, Lacy is running better out of the shotgun than when the quarterback is at the line. Based on another article on the same subject though, I think there might be an explanation for this.
JS: Lacy struggling because of shotgun
The Packers ran the no-huddle with Aaron Rodgers extensively last season, but Lacy didn't really start to shine until Rodgers suffered a broken left collarbone and Matt Flynn took over. The Packers were more of a traditional offense with Lacy the centerpiece.
First of all, it's funny to have two big-media articles so close together claiming the exact opposite things. Still, as I read them both, they do kind of work together in suggesting an explanation for Lacy's struggles that neither article actually states on its own:
If he is doing worse this year running with Rodgers under center perhaps it has nothing to do with the shotgun, but with the fact that when we want to pass with Rodgers we go to shotgun and spread offense and when Rodgers is under center it is more predictably a Lacy run. With Flynn, perhaps we ran a higher percentage of passing plays and play actions in that "traditional offense" so the defense had a harder time stacking up against the run because of the real risk of a pass.
I don't know how to check if this is true or not, but it might just be an issue of being too predictable under center this year, so the defensive front 7 is always ready and in Lacy's face on his runs because it is too obvious when he is running.
I doubt I'm saying anything I haven't read already from you guys here. "McCarthy is too predictable." Maybe so. Maybe if you have Rodgers, predictable is still the way to go. I don't know (but if the Packers wanted to pay me millions to figure it out I'd be happy to warm McCarthy's chair for a year or two).
I don't post much so I just wanted to take this rare chance to thank you all for consistently making my lunch more enjoyable every day and making the fun of Packer's games last my whole week.