Eddie Lacy knocks off the helmet of Vikings safety Robert Blanton on a touchdown run last week in Green Bay. Lacy and James Starks split downs as running backs. Credit: Rick Wood

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Green Bay — The best rushing game of the season for the Green Bay Packers featured Eddie Lacy and James Starks each playing 50% of the offensive snaps. In drilling the Minnesota Vikings for 151 combined yards, the two played 27 offensive snaps apiece.

Don't expect this formula to change much Sunday at Miami. It appears the Packers plan to maintain a split.

Position coach Sam Gash views both as "complete" backs. And the 2013 rookie of the year benefited from the shared workload — Lacy was fresh for those second-half haymakers.

"To keep them fresh, I think is very important," Gash said. "To keep them fresh throughout the course of a game because we want to obviously get into a rhythm and get going."

The first four games, Lacy dominated the reps with 53 carries to Starks' 15. He also was mired in a sophomore funk. In the 42-10 win over the Vikings, in which he averaged 8.1 yards on his 13 attempts, Lacy ran reborn.

Gash said the Packers have wanted to utilize both players since Day 1. So after the play-caller, coach Mike McCarthy, admitted after the Chicago game he should have gotten Starks involved, it appears the Packers are determined to run both backs.

"James has warranted playing time," Gash said. "He's done well whenever he's gotten the ball. Eddie is still doing the same. He's the guy. We're going to go out and feature all those guys."

Lacy may be "the guy," the 240-pounder who rammed through Vikings defenders last week. On his 10-yard touchdown, he blasted through Robert Blanton, jarring Blanton's helmet loose.

Yet Gash also noted that Lacy and Starks have reached a point where they're interchangeable in the offense, whether it's out of the shotgun, single back, the "I," etc.

Whether the Packers go with a literal alternating, series-by-series platoon again remains to be seen. But they don't want the fifth-year veteran Starks to stay on the sideline.

"James runs hard. He runs physical," Gash said. "He's physical in pass protection. He's the quintessential complete back. He's a big guy. He's 220 pounds.... He's an excitable guy when he's in the game."

Gash added that Lacy didn't do anything different last week, that coaches "never lost confidence" he'd break out. They believe he's run hard all season and has taken the right mentality to practice daily. Yet still, it was refreshing for the results to change in such a profound — and painful — way.

Lacy posted a photo on Twitter and Instagram of his hit on Blanton.

"He ran physical, he ran decisive," Gash said. "When things like that come together for him, it's very, very exciting. It's 'Good job, now let's do it again.'"

One reason for a second-half bashing was a first-half timeshare. Against the NFL's 13th-ranked run defense Sunday, Gash envisions the two running in tandem.

The 6-foot-2 Starks and the heavier Lacy.

"I think that was definitely part of what Coach Mike wants," Gash said. "He likes balance, freshness, keep guys in ready to go. So as long as we can keep that going, which I don't see a reason why we can't because there's no plays that James runs that Eddie can't or vice versa. We train the guys as complete backs to play first through third down.

"And when you're in there, whatever is called, whether it's gun or under center, it doesn't matter, we've got to make it work."

Dorsey's ready: Playing wide receiver in the Packers' offense is, as many repeat, a process. But the one receiver the team elevated to the 53-man roster just this week, Kevin Dorsey, is in just his second season.

If Dorsey is needed against the Miami Dolphins on Sunday, position coach Edgar Bennett believes he is ready to play on Aaron Rodgers' level.

"Definitely, definitely," Bennett said. "All our guys. Any opportunities we're given, we just have to make the most of it. Be it on special teams, be it on offense, again, it starts with the preparation and making the most of your opportunities by executing."

Dorsey spent last season on injured reserve and made the practice squad with an improved training camp at wide receiver and on special teams. He brings ideal size (6-1, 207) and strength. Multiple times in camp, Dorsey ripped jump-ball throws away from cornerbacks.

Bennett said Dorsey's time spent in the classroom a year ago was key. And while reporters don't see 11-on-11 practice sessions now that the regular season has begun, Bennett indicated Dorsey is where he needs to be, when he needs to be there for the quarterback in the passing game, the ticket to playing.

"Definitely," Bennett said. "He sits in every meeting and certainly is doing his part on the practice field. Just because he wasn't active at the time doesn't mean he wasn't taking reps, wasn't taking mental reps, wasn't preparing like he was 'the guy.' That's the approach.

"All of our guys go into it, day in and day out, with the mind-set that it only takes one play and I'm the next guy in that position."

As for what physical trait jumped out in the 2013 seventh-round pick from Maryland, Bennett pointed to "play style."

"Attitude," he said. "The physicality part. Very physical. Very tough. And plays with an edge."

Jones, Boykin still out: Wide receiver Jarrett Boykin (groin) and defensive end Datone Jones (ankle) missed practice again Thursday. Left tackle David Bakhtiari (back) joined the injury report as a limited participant with Sam Barrington (hamstring) and Josh Boyd (knee).

McCarthy said Bakhtiari's back bothered him in practice, so the Packers decided to be cautious. The official injury report is released Friday.

Decision looming:Center JC Tretter has spent the entire regular season on injured reserve with exemption to return. He is eligible to practice next week — if ready off his knee injury — and soon after that the Packers must make a decision.

Corey Linsley has been solid through five games, yet Tretter was the starter through most of training camp.

Not that offensive line coach James Campen is ready to declare anything. He vows he hasn't thought about it.

"I just don't even (expletive) think that way," Campen said. "Until a guy is healthy and he's out there practicing, I just don't waste my time with it because it's irrelevant to me right now. I don't know. I couldn't even tell you when he's eligible to practice.

"Is he eligible to practice next week?"

He is. Through the season, Tretter has remained active, attending every meeting and taking every pregame test as if he were playing.

"I'd trust him 100%, there's no question," Campen said. "The way he developed, he never had his hand on the ball until last year when he was activated and he had three, four practices in pads if that. The way he's accelerated, he's a good football player."