There are many factors contributing to the struggles the Detroit Lions have running the ball. Ameer Abdullah has been apart of the problem.
Going 63 games without a 100-yard rusher is down right a disgrace. What adds insult to injury is that the Detroit Lions managed to spend so much money in free agency to help upgrade the offensive line and it hasn’t panned out as planned. Not everything falls on one factor, but running back Ameer Abdullah hasn’t helped make matters any better.
To date, Abdullah averages 3.4 yards per carry. Poor play calling and an offensive line designed more for pass protecting hasn’t helped. Even so, teams as good as the Lions are at passing the ball still find a way to run the ball effectively.
So what’s up with Detroit’s coaches? Well, when the coaches continuously put the Lions in come-from-behind situations and start the games off slow, that forces them to abandon the run.
Now with that explained, how is it that Abdullah is to blame? If it wasn’t noticeable by now, you can see the third year pro just isn’t quite the same guy as he once was.
I’m sure you might be wondering what that entails, but all you need to do is refer back to 2016 when he suffered a season-ending injury to his foot. A Lisfranc tear is the specific injury. Essentially the ligaments that support the middle part of the foot was torn.
This ailment is a rare and complicated injury that frequently fails to recover smoothly. Even after recovery, there’s often pain associated with it.
Abdullah’s specialty is cutting on a dime. Now with the previous condition, it appears his mid foot, which is the part of the foot most relied upon when planting and making cuts, is not holding up like before.
Once known as an authoritative runner with exceptional power for a smaller back, Abdullah looks mediocre at best. After his 20 carry performance in Week 2 against the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions starting running back injured his ankle. In that game, he came within six yards of crossing over the century mark before being forced to exit the game.
With Detroit’s recent history about how they treat their players’ health, I would bet Abdullah is playing through some soreness associated with his prior injury. Don’t be surprised if he was playing through a hurt ankle either.
Since that game, Abdullah’s yards, carries and explosiveness hasn’t been as high. The Lions would be better off putting him in a change-of-pace role and letting him return kicks.
With the way Abdullah shows hesitation in the holes, perhaps it’s time to pass of the torch to a different running back. Whether the coaches are too stubborn or careless to catch on and fail to make a change has yet to be seen.
Next: The Detroit Lions need a relentless running back
This isn’t Dancing with the Stars, Abdullah needs to pick a hole and hit it with force. If he’s hampered and hurt, he needs to do what’s best for the Lions which is make an impact out in space or on special teams. A power runner between the tackles he is not, and continuing to use him in this capacity, healthy or not, is not conducive to the overall productivity this offense could possess on the ground.