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Factoid

Detroit Lions

Detroit's running game is on the upswing

I’m a Jim Bob Cooter fan. I like the name, and I like what he’s done since taking over as the offensive coordinator in Detroit. Especially with the running game.

When the Lions had Vince Lombardi’s grandson as their offensive coordinator, in the first half of last year, they ranked last in rushing. They weren’t good enough, and too often they just didn’t even try to run.

After Cooter took over, the schedule got easier (which always helps) but they did a better job of stick with the run. They had 54 more running plays in the second half of last season, resulting in 221 more rushing yards and 3 more rushing touchdowns. In a standard fantasy format, that made it the 2nd-most improved running game in the league.

That continued in Week 1, when they ran for 124 yards and 2 TDs at Indianapolis. A poor defense, for sure, but Ameer Abdullah looked good, and Theo Riddick this year appears to be a far more effective runner than he ever was in the past. I first noticed that in the preseason. Dwayne Washington, he’s the bigger back they use to come in for the 1-yard touchdown.

Abdullah and (especially) Riddick will also catch passes out of the backfield, making them viable options in a lot of leagues.

Not saying this will be a top-10 rushing team. That’s not what the Lions are all about. But the days of being a laughingstock on the ground could be over.

On the chart here, you're seeing rushing attempts, yards and touchdowns for the first half of the season, versus the last. Detroit switched offensive coordinators halfway through last year.

MOST IMPROVED RUNNING GAMES, 2015
TeamGames 1-8Games 9-16
Denver189-705-5222-1,013-8
Detroit150-557-2204-778-5
Seattle245-1,116-3255-1,152-7
Houston214-703-4258-1,028-3
Cleveland195-672-2185-857-3
Minnesota241-1,062-8233-1,149-10
Chicago228-878-6240-976-7
Jacksonville191-774-1,163-699-4
Kansas City205-950-10231-1,094-9
Carolina269-1,138-9257-1,144-10
Tampa Bay236-1,055-6219-1,107-6
Washington201-730-5228-836-4
NY Giants196-756-3207-853-2
Green Bay208-925-4228-925-4
Buffalo236-1,133-11273-1,299-8
Tennessee199-813-4172-672-6
San Diego192-691-2201-667-2
Arizona222-998-8230-919-8
St. Louis222-1,084-7207-872-9
San Francisco206-809-4184-735-3
Indianapolis188-791-3208-647-3
Pittsburgh207-1,006-7181-718-9
Miami168-826-6176-670-5
Cincinnati243-963-10224-842-8
NY Jets241-922-8207-946-3
Oakland188-837-4182-620-3
New Orleans211-794-10186-697-6
New England191-758-9192-646-5
Philadelphia225-973-9217-770-6
Dallas229-1,029-6179-861-2
Baltimore199-794-7184-684-1
Atlanta235-1,008-11185-598-2

—Ian Allan

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