With Detroit Lions‘ star running back Kerryon Johnson expected to miss the Thanksgiving Day game against the Chicago Bears, expect Zach Zenner to get the bulk of the carries in his stead.
The Detroit Lions opened the season with plenty of depth at running back.
Veteran LeGarrette Blount was expected to give way to rookie Kerryon Johnson. Theo Riddick was always going to be the pass-catching threat on third downs. Ameer Abdullah was insurance just in case any of the aforementioned backs succumbed to injury.
With so much talent at the position, fan favorite Zach Zenner was the odd man out.
Ten weeks into the season and heading into a must-win contest against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving Day, the Lions are paper-thin when it comes to running back depth.
Blount aged ten years in just ten weeks and has watched his role essentially vanish with the emergence of Johnson. Abdullah was recently cut and signed by the Minnesota Vikings. Riddick is a gadget player with little impact running the football.
The latest hit to the corps occurred Sunday when Johnson left the game in the third quarter after suffering an apparent knee injury. While initial reports suggest Johnson may have dodged significant ligament damage, there’s almost no chance he plays on Thanksgiving.
#Lions RB Kerryon Johnson will have an MRI on his knee tomorrow, but the early word is that it’s a knee sprain — not an ACL tear. In the midst of an impressive rookie season, the initial tests seem to provide good news.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 18, 2018
That leaves the burden squarely on Zenner, who was re-signed just weeks ago for his special teams’ prowess. And now the Lions must lean on him in a big way on Thursday against the Bears.
Zenner is a fun player to root for, and while I always believed his days with the Lions were over following last season, it was simply because there was no room for him to have a viable role on the roster.
Under these dire circumstances, Zenner not only has a role again but a significant one.
Of the three healthy running backs on the Lions’ roster, Zenner is the logical choice as the next man up. The only other option is Blount, who has been entirely ineffective for most of the season, even in short-yardage situations. While the veteran can shoulder the load of carrying the ball 20-plus times in a game, his performance of late does not merit an expanded role.
Zenner lacks explosiveness and big-play ability, but has adequate vision and has shown that when the Lions call his number, he can get the job done. He can also aid in pass protection, which is a necessity against the likes of Khalil Mack and the Bears’ defense.
It’s not an ideal situation by any means, but if the Lions intend on coming away with a victory on Thanksgiving, they must control the clock and establish an effective running game early.
It’s Zenner’s time, and it could not come at a more important time for the Lions.