Detroit Lions – Five things to know about improved run game, offense

Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah (21) runs for a touchdown past Indianapolis Colts inside linebacker Antonio Morrison (44) during the first half of an NFL football game in Indianapolis, Sunday, Sept. 11, 2016. (AP Photo/R Brent Smith)

By Paula Pasche | The Oakland Press

PUBLISHED: September 12, 2016 at 2:55 p.m. | UPDATED: June 17, 2021 at 6:54 a.m.

ALLEN PARK >> Jim Caldwell was his stoic self on Monday, the day after a road win at Indianapolis to start the season.

The Lions coach never gets too high or too low.

He knows there is much work to be done yet, but still appreciates being able to build on a win as the Lions prepare for the Tennessee Titans at Ford Field on Sunday.

PHOTOS FROM LIONS 39-35 WIN OVER COLTS

“I mean it’s a lot different when you can correct, which we have an abundance of mistakes to correct, but building upon a platform after you’ve won a game is a bit easier,” Caldwell said on Monday.

“That’s obviously key, but nevertheless, I do think that our guys did a lot of things right. There were a lot of things they did extremely well. You take a look at some of the downfield blocking with our linemen on screens and things of that nature, extra effort, plays that don’t show up necessarily in the stats when you see our defense, guys hustling, making plays or turn their guy back inside where a guy can make a play here or there,” he added.

MATTHEW STAFFORD’S HOT START

Caldwell noted he was happy with the kicking game.

“It’s a tough game, I mean it’s tough to win on the road. I don’t care what anybody says about anything, in this league it’s difficult to win a game anywhere, home or away. Our guys were able to hang in there in a very tough contest and finish it off,” Caldwell said.

In the 39-35 win the Lions finished with 448 yards of total offense which is the fourth highest amount to start the season since 1950. Also the offensive yards were the second-highest on the road to open the season since at least 1950 behind 494 yards gainst at Los Angeles on Sept. 7, 1980.

Five thoughts on the offense from Caldwell at his Monday press conference.

1. Running backs Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick had three touchdown between tham. “I think the most important thing is that, with Jim Bob (Cooter) and the guys on offense do a nice job of, is getting those guys the ball in ways where they can utilize their talents, and it’s not always handed to them out of the backfield,” Caldwell said. “I believe both of them were over 100 all-purpose yards, I think that’s who they are. I think they’re effective catching it, I think they’re effective out of the backfield, running the ball as well, but I think you have to mix it up with them.” The run game, which was the worst in the NFL in 2015, was good for 116 yards. Rookie Dwayne Washington also score a rushing touchdown.

2. Caldwell likes to see at least 4 yards per carry in the run game. The LIons finished with 4.8 on Sunday. “It gives you an indication of just how productive a guy is, for the most part. Ameer (Abdullah) might have been over five and Theo (Riddick) over six, you hope that equates to you give it to them a little bit more, they’ll keep the same type of production up. But for what we were asking them to do, they did a nice job,” Caldwell said. “I think that’s part of, overall, you want to be about four yards a carry, overall. I think we were just a hair higher than that. Pretty good for us at this point.” The Lions averaged 3.8 yards per carry in 2015.

3. The offensive line’s run blocking certainly helped in the run game production. “I think you have to look at it, and just kind of see what production you had. We were decently productive, but we’ve still got a lot of work to do, we weren’t perfect by any stretch of the imagination,” Caldwell said. The line for the most part gave Stafford time. He was sacked just once. The last time he was sacked one or less times in a game was Nov. 15, 2015.

4. As part of the new offensive scheme, the Lions went about half the game using the no-huddle. “I don’t think it ever works out exactly the way you want it, but the main thing is do we get what we want to get done. That’s the key and that’s a victory. I do think that our guys were pretty effective on offense, not as effective as we’d like to be or that we’re capable of being, but I do think it helped us some,” Caldwell said. “It’s different with every game. There’s some games you may not see us huddle at all and there’s some games you’re going to see us huddle all the time, so it just kind of depends on the situation and who we’re playing.”

5. Of course Matthew Stafford made the offense go. Stafford who finished the final eight games of 2015 on a roll, picked up where he left off. With a passer rating 128.6 at Indianapolis, Stafford became the first Lions quarterback since at least 1950 to register a passer rating of 115.0+ in four consecutive games. With 340 passing yards Sunday, Stafford (26,316) become the fourth player in NFL history to throw for 26,000 yards through a player’s first 100 games, accomplishing this feat in 94 career games. He also surpassed QB Peyton Manning (26,008) and jumped past QB Kurt Warner (26,097) for the second-most among quarterbacks in their first 100 games. He needs 749 to overtake Dan Marino (27,064) in that category.