Ryan Grant, left, and James Starks are expected to receive an equal share of rushing attempts Thursday.

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Green Bay - The goal is for Green Bay running backs Ryan Grant and James Starks to get an equal amount of rushing attempts Thursday night against New Orleans.

That's the plan for now, anyway.

With a healthy Grant back after missing nearly all of the 2010 season, the Packers are faced with the new challenge of merging his comeback with the progression of Starks, whose late-season emergence as a rookie paced the Packers through the playoffs.

And the only way to figure it out literally is to let things play out.

"We know what they can do," first-year running backs coach Jerry Fontenot said. "It's just a matter of getting them comfortable and making sure they've gotten enough reps to do it. The only way I see them doing that is getting them as equal of work as I possibly can."

Grant ran for 83 yards in 18 carries (4.6-yard average) in the preseason, his first football action after suffering a season-ending ankle injury in the opener a year ago.

"We'll bring Ryan back in and see how he handles the game and the contact," offensive coordinator Joe Philbin said. "He looks fine. He looks like he did before he ever got injured."

Starks had just 17 yards in four carries this summer, but his production from the postseason - 315 yards in 81 carries (3.9 average) - is still fresh on everyone's mind.

Starks began 2010 on the physically unable to perform list, so this is the first time the Packers have had the two backs together.

"They're both going to take pretty much all situations in the game," Fontenot said. "Evenly dispersed? I can't guarantee it. But I'm certainly going try to get each one of those guys an equal amount of opportunities to carry the football, to hold onto the football and to control the clock for us."

In an offense that probably will rely mostly on the passing game anyway, let's hold off on calling this anything like a two-back system or running back by committee just yet.

Fontenot is simply looking for a working combination between Grant and Starks, not unlike the one he had in Chicago when he was the center and blocked for Neal Anderson and Brad Muster. Fontenot said the balanced attack featured the speedy Anderson and powerful Muster.

"It's nice to have different options at tailback," Fontenot said. "We have Ryan who is as physical as anyone, playing behind his pads - a bruising-style runner. James is more elusive in the hole, but he's still a big back and he's strong, so tacklers bounce off him.

"So, what course is better? I don't know. We'll find out."

There are examples of teams that have made the two-back attack work: the Cowboys' Marion Barber and Julius Jones, the Jets' Thomas Jones and Leon Washington and even the Bears with Jones and Cedric Benson.

Of course, the Pittsburgh Steelers had Jerome Bettis, Willie Parker and Duce Staley in 2004 to run all the way to the Super Bowl. The New York Giants found a way to work the Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw combination to a Super Bowl victory after the 2007 season.

And the New Orleans Saints shared the running duties pretty evenly between Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush in 2008, the year before they went to the Super Bowl.

The yardage, statistics and internal team harmony may vary, but the teams found a way to capitalize on a roster featuring two solid backs.

It makes sense for the Packers to try to determine a working combination between Grant and Starks.

That said, everyone agrees that during the game, the plan may change. It's always possible the Packers will go with the hot running back to start the game, as well.

"There's a place and time for riding the hot hand if that develops," Philbin said. "If they have a hard time tackling one guy, we may stick with one and not worry about it."

That may affect Grant the most, since he's been a wear-the-defense-down kind of back. He would need the carries to really get his game going. But the Packers believe Grant will go along with any game plan they have - and any changes that are made.

"Ryan's a team player all the way," Philbin said. "He's obviously a great competitor but Ryan is a consummate professional. He's a team player all the way."

Starks has the same attitude and is willing to share carries with Grant or come in behind him.

"You've got to be ready anyway," Starks said. "So whatever I get, I will be happy with it. I could be effective no matter what. I get enough reps in practice and know my plays."