Detroit Lions 2020 season-ending report cards: Offense

Running Backs

As the debate rages on regarding the true value of running backs in today’s NFL, the Lions continue to  field one of the league’s most ineffective rushing attacks. There were some impressive performances sprinkled throughout the year, but this unit was underwhelming and disappointing overall.

Rookie D’Andre Swift’s season got off to a nightmarish beginning when he dropped a potential game-winning touchdown pass in the waning seconds of a Week One loss to the Chicago Bears. This would offer some foreshadowing of his ball-security issues, which led to three fumbles later in the year. He would also miss three games in the middle of the season with a non-COVID-19 related illness.

Swift also provided plenty of highlights, leading Lions’ backs with 878 yards from scrimmage and 10 total touchdowns. He was a key factor in a Week Six win against the Jacksonville Jaguars when he racked up 116 rushing yards and two touchdowns. He should enter 2021 atop the depth chart, and his role under a new coaching staff will be an important story to follow.

The venerable Adrian Peterson followed the Lions’ recent trend of adding an experienced power option to the running back rotation. He was able to tack on some more numbers to his Hall of Fame resumé, but he simply didn’t show the explosiveness that made him the most feared back in the game during his prime.

He served as an important red zone option on the ground with seven touchdowns, but he couldn’t consistently help move the Lions’ offense down the field. Excluding his 93-yard rushing performance in Week One, he averaged less than 3.6 yards per carry.

Two years ago, Kerryon Johnson was thought to be a key piece of the Lions’ offense moving forward. However, his role diminished drastically in 2020. He managed just 181 rushing yards and 71 total touches on offense, despite playing in all 16 contests. That was nearly half of his touches from 2019, when he played in only eight games.

It’s unlikely that Johnson would have been able to able to pull the Lions’ running game out of the mud with more looks on offense, but his precipitous drop out of the game plan was both disappointing and perplexing. He is far and away the group’s best pass-protector, and he’s a team-first player, but his quiet season has clouded his long-term future in Detroit.

Converted linebacker Jason Cabinda served as the fullback, but was not capable of consistently opening large running holes. He played just 130 snaps on offense, serving mainly as a valuable special teams member.

Grade: C