Motivated Green makes starting debut in Houston - FOX 25/48 - WLAX/WEUX La Crosse & Eau Claire News

Green Bay - Alex Green will no doubt be watching the movie, "Ali," in the next two days before he makes his NFL starting debut Sunday night in the Green Bay Packers' offensive backfield.

Green, a second-year running back from the University of Hawaii, turns to the movie about boxing legend Muhammad Ali for inspiration.

He has since college, when Green would watch the film three times a week.

"I like the message in the movie," Green said.  "I watch that movie twice a week.  In college, I watched it three times a week."

Alex Green has plenty of motivation when the 2-3 Packers face the unbeaten Houston Texas (5-0) at Reliant Stadium in the second game of a brutal three-game road trip.

He's coming off a major injury and has waited patiently for his opportunity to start and showcase his speed and pass-catching skills out of the backfield.

The out-of-sync Green Bay offense needs a spark, and Green is getting the opportunity he has waited for with Cedric Benson sidelined for at least two months.

Green knows what it's like to be sidelined.

His promising season was cut short when he blew out his knee blocking on a Green Bay kick-off return at Minnesota in Week 7.

Green's rookie season was—-poof!—-over in one freak play.

He was just beginning to fully grasp the Packers' offense and playbook when he tore his anterior cruciate ligament.

With the NFL's lockout, Green did not have the luxury of mini-camps and OTAs to learn the team's offensive schemes and plays.

"I started kind of slow as far as picking the offense up and once I started getting it rolling I went down with the injury, so it kind of put a dagger in my progress and development," Green said.

The third-round draft pick of GM Ted Thompson in 2011 was just beginning to earn the confidence of the Packers' coaching staff, which translates into a bigger role and more opportunities with increased playing time.

And that's all Green strives for now, after 12 months of patience and rehab:  the opportunity to contribute.  His progress and reps were closely monitored in training camp to ensure he was ready for the start of regular-season play.

"I'm 100 percent confident," Green said after the Bears' game in Week 2.  "It's coming and getting better and as long as I'm progressing I'm fine with it. I want to help my team win.  My time will come."

His time is now, with the once-potent Green Bay offense struggling to make big plays and score points.

Green's comeback could add yet another element of speed to the Green Bay offensive arsenal.  He showed a flash of his big-play potential with a 41-yard run in the loss at Indianapolis last Sunday.

Coming from the spread offense at Hawaii, Green continues to learn the intricacies of Mike McCarthy's system and blitz pick-up assignments.

"I didn't have the OTAs or mini-camp still because I was rehabbing," Green said.  "It was important for me to really buckle down and be a student of the game."

Green, who grew up Oregon aspiring to run like Detroit's Barry Sanders, plays with a purpose.

His journey to the NFL has not been easy, with stops in Hawaii and Butte Junior College in Oroville, Calif.—-the same junior college attended by Aaron Rodgers.

Green played with Jordan Rodgers, Aaron's younger brother, and won a national junior college championship in 2008.  He said his strongest attribute is his passion.

"I've been through a couple of things in my past, so I play with a purpose," Green said. "When I work out, when I practice, when I watch film, when I study the playbook it's for a reason.  To prove to myself you can overcome with faith."

Green has faced his share of obstacles.

"I've had some personal stuff in my life like homelessness, being away from my kids," he said.  "I slept in my car for a few months in junior college.  I found out I had dyslexia when I got to Hawaii.  The injury and rehab—-I've never had surgery before.  It's been a long road to get here (the NFL), but that's what keeps me working hard and looking forward."