2015 Detroit Lions: A Cynic’s View
By Kent Platte
Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
The Run Game Will Still Suck
Are you excited for some “3 yards and a cloud of dust” kind of football? Well have I got some news for you! The Detroit Lions ended last season as one of the worst rushing teams in the NFL. Their offensive line was an embarrassing mess and their RB stable was about as disappointing as it can get. Not one rusher managed over 4 YPC and the ‘leader’ of that group led the league in fumble rate (We’re #1!). He can be forgiven for his slow start to the season. He was nursing an injury, he’s totally healthy, now.
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What’s that you say?
Joique Bellisn’t healthy? He’s nursing not one but two surgeries from this offseason? Fantastic. In 2013 and 2014, Joique Bell started off the first weeks of the season rushing for about 3.3 YPC which if my math is correct is depressing and sad to look at. He finished the season strong, but only because he finally got healthy and so did
Calvin Johnson, putting him in all those easy rushing looks.
The offensive line doesn’t look any better and the despite Ameer Abdullah (Himself a fumble master) looking good in the preseason, the Lions have written Joique Bell in as the starter in sharpie. It takes a special something to field a rushing game as poor as the Lions were in 2014, but with Laken Bustington riding the pine and Manny “Mile High Snapper” Ramirez at the helm they are going to do whatever they can to try to replicate that feat.
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