Despite the Detroit Lions losing in disappointing fashion yesterday to the Dallas Cowboys, they should at least be encouraged with Kerryon0 Johnson’s play.
It’s never good for a football team to open a season 1-3, especially when that football team is the Detroit Lions and their most recent loss was to a mediocre Dallas Cowboys team, 24-26.
Lions fans deserve to be frustrated with a loss like this, especially after how good the team looked against the New England Patriots last week, head coach Matt Patricia’s former employer.
But one thing that Lions fans should be encouraged with is the fact that they finally have a reliable running back that can both truck defenders and juke them in open space. That running back, rookie Kerryon Johnson, has exploded onto the scene in the past few weeks.
Johnson took a little bit of time to get going this season, as the back only saw 13 carries for 60 yards in the first two games of the 2018 season. Perhaps offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter was still figuring out how to properly use him.
Last week on Sunday Night Football, Johnson finally got to carry the ball a little more and the Lions saw success with him, as he carried the ball 16 yards for 101 yards in last week’s win against New England.
That game finally established Johnson as a legitimate NFL running back, as the viewing public got a chance to see the rusher showcase his talents on primetime football. With his triple-digit-yardage, Johnson was finally able to end the Lions’ 70-game drought of not having a 100-yard rusher, finally putting an end to the streak that all Lions fans are sick of talking about.
Johnson’s solid performance on the ground not only helped the Lions running game but also helped open up the field for quarterback Matthew Stafford and the rest of the Lions passing attack, as the Patriots finally had a reason to fall for the run on play-action plays.
One would think that after such a great game in Week 3 that Jim Bob Cooter would continue to use Johnson heavily, as he was clearly part of the recipe for success against New England. But Cooter seemed to get too cute with his play calling yet again.
After bursting for a 32-yard gain on the first play of scrimmage, the Lions seldom used Johnson, as he spent most of the first half on the bench. That seemed like a questionable decision by the Lions coaching staff, as running back LeGarrette Blount was only able to amass 12 yards with the seven carries he got in the contest.
.@AyeyoKEJO 🏃💨💨💨#OnePride https://t.co/J2GG0pIeSD
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 30, 2018
Cooter and the rest of the offensive coaching staff started to use Johnson more heavily in the second half, despite coming from behind for the maturity of the half. With the carries he did get, Johnson looked consistent, running the ball effectively and even scoring his first NFL touchdown, running over Dallas safety Jeff Heath in the process.
.@AyeyoKEJO's first @NFL touchdown! 💪😤#OnePride | #DETvsDAL https://t.co/F1z2WEBJYe
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 30, 2018
Johnson had yet another solid game yesterday, as he was able to earn 55 yards with the nine carries he got, averaging 6.1 yards per touch. While Johnson ran well, this Lions’ fan is wondering why Johnson didn’t see more carries.
While it would be dumb to overuse the rookie early in his career, getting less than 10 carries in a key game against the Cowboys seems idiotic. The Lions have clearly found their bell-cow back, a versatile runner who can elevate this offense to an elite level.
In a season where the playoffs or even a winning record are far from guaranteed, why not use the x-factor at your disposable? Kerryon Johnson has played well when given a substantial amount of carries, so hopefully, that trend continues as this lackluster season chugs along.