Detroit Lions playoff hopes hinge on play of both lines

Offensive Line – Going Forward

During the Browns game, the Lions managed some chunk runs, three of about twenty yards (20, 21,19), which accounted for 60 of the 104 yards they earned on the ground. The other sixteen attempts then went for forty-four yards, or 2.75 yards per rush.

That is not good, although the 104 total sounds like an improvement. It is, to a point, but during the second half, the Lions longest rush was eight yards. The 29th ranked rushing attack performed somewhat better than normal, usually netting an anemic 82.4 yards per game.

Championship teams run the ball well. The best records in the NFL belong to teams that run the ball, and do it well. For Detroit, we’re still counting the days since we had a 100-yard rusher. November 28th, 2013 was the last time. Now we’re almost to Thanksgiving 2017; four years is too long to wait. Much of this drought is line related.

Trending up

T.J. Lang, the starter at right guard, also, was a full participant in practice after going through concussion protocol. Lang missed the Cleveland game.

It looks like the Lions could have their entire starting line healthy for this grudge match with the Chicago Bears, this weekend. It has been a feat just to get four starters together this season.

Tim Twentyman, Lions beat writer, wrote this after Thursday’s practice.

"Barring any unforeseen setbacks, Decker, left guard Graham Glasgow, center Travis Swanson, Lang and right tackle Rick Wagner will be on the field together in a game for the first time on Sunday. “It’s going to be exciting to have everyone together,” Decker said after practice Thursday. “And I think we’re going to have fun out there.”"

This is true of the entire offense, so perhaps we’ll see the running drought end.

Whatever the outcome, it seems like the o-line, and entire offense, is trending in the right direction.