This team really lacked a running game in 2007. They ranked 32nd in rushing attempts and 31st in rushing yards. Many people blamed Mike Martz for that. Keep in mind that he coached Marshall Faulk and Steven Jackson in St. Louis. While he definitely prefers the forward pass, he has had successful backs in his system.
Part of the Lions' inability to run the ball stemmed from their running backs, poor offensive line, and a defense that did not give them leads on a consistent basis.
The Lions got rid of Kevin Jones and T.J. Duckett, but did retain Tatum Bell. They drafted Kevin Smith in the third round. They are also instituting a zone-blocking scheme, which is catching on in the NFL.
The Lions still figure to be weak at running the ball in 2008. Zone blocking schemes do not make bad lineman good, nor does it make bad running backs great. I watched Green Bay make that transition and it took over a year to see results.
Bell had good games in a zone-blocking scheme in Denver. He needs to step up his production in 2008. It will be interesting if Smith is able to have a breakout rookie year as the two split time.
The offensive line needs to improve on the 54 sacks they gave up in 2007. That is one reason why the Lions threw so many interceptions. Quarterbacks need time to find people down field. When you finish last in the NFL in rushing attempts, 31st in rushing yards gained, and give up the third most sacks, there aren’t many positives to look at on the offensive line.
That was the major motivation for selecting Gosder Cherilus in the first round. He will be asked to step in immediately.
On defense, they have to hope the people they added in the secondary can cover better. Even if the secondary did improve, they still need their front seven to stop the run and create pressure.
Look how a bad run defense hurt Bailey and Bly in Denver. Until the Lions improve on stopping the run, it will be impossible for them to get maximum production out of their secondary.
Prediction
The Lions were a team that I was not sold on last season, even when they started 6-2. I was one of the people that said that the team would crash in the second half of the season, and they did just that.
Matt Millen has proven time and time again that he cannot draft well, and that he is unable to put his coaches in a position to succeed. There are good parts, but they don’t fit together to make a good product.
The Lions have a good passing offense, and having a coordinator that isn’t quite so pass happy will take pressure off of that offense. Their receivers will cause problems for teams, and I expect a decent offensive showing from the Lions.
What I also expect is they will struggle to stop Indy, Jacksonville, and New Orleans on offense. I expect Tennessee and Tampa Bay to give them fits with their defense.
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