This offseason, the Detroit Lions have infused their offense with new blood through the draft and free agency. But will it be enough?
The offensive line is going to be a topic until it isn’t in the Motor City. What I mean is that until the Detroit Lions can impose their will upon opposing teams in the run game, it will get talked about. Did the Lions fix their offensive line? Let’s take a look.
Bare minimum, we need to have a rusher go over100 yards. It almost happened last year, but it’s been four years from this past Thanksgiving. Frank Ragnow, Tyrell Crosby, Wesley Johnson, Kenny Wiggins, and others are here to improve the 32nd ranked run game and poor pass blocking.
With the additions via the draft and free agency, the Lions are a team that improved its offense, especially up front. Chris Wesseling, Around the NFL writer, has them listed as a Top 10 Offense for 2018. Two division rivals rate higher, however. Both the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings get more love from Wesseling than our Lions. Which is just how we like it in Detroit. Let ’em hate. Detroit vs. Everybody, right?
The Lions finished seventh in points per game, in 2017, though. The few teams that scored more points per game were all teams that went deep into the playoffs, including both Super Bowl participants. The Rams, Patriots, Eagles, Saints, Jaguars, and Chiefs were all playoff teams. So, despite an anemic rushing attack, the Lions were very productive, scoring-wise, on offense.
There is no doubt that it will take the entire team, not just the offensive line, to improve to get to respectability.
Running backs
The stable of runners did not perform well last year. As with most anything listed here, they didn’t underperform by themselves. The leader from 2017, Ameer Abdullah, finished with 552 yards on 165 carries. No other running back had even 300 yards.
The offseason brought in free agent thumper, LeGarrette Blount, and Kerryon Johnson, via the draft. The Lions also added a fullback, Nick Bawden, late in the draft. A consistent message to the offense is getting more physical as a team in 2018.
The new additions don’t just signal a more smash-mouth brand of football, but a big influx of talent. That will help the line look better, if for no other reason that good runners don’t need as much time to make something happen. Everyone will have to be better to shake the stigma that Detroit cannot run without a guy named Barry lined up behind the quarterback.
The Last two 1,000 yards seasons were by guys named Kevin (Jones), 1,133 in 2004, and Reggie (Bush), 1,006 in 2013. Only four times Lions have reached the 1,000 yard mark since Barry Sanders‘ retirement in 1999. James Stewart did it twice, too.