Running Game
by lions09 on Nov 27, 2009 9:33 AM EST
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Just a thought
The running is a real problem that needs to be fixed next year. I am in the camp that I don't think kevin smith is the problem although he needs to better job breaking tackles. The number 1 problem is the blocking is terrible. Stafford is good but you can't expect a 21yr old to win until we get a running game. We run the ball on 2nd and 2 and go backwards. That is rediculous. Green Bay was playing the pass and we still couldn't run the ball consistantly. If you look at out line there is not one player even close to pro bowl caliber. I must say the lions really gave a great effort though against green bay though.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Pride of Detroit or its writers. FanPosts are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable fans.
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It's our offensive line all the way....
…Stafford’s pressured nonstop….I see other team giving their QBs way more time to make a decision. About half of the INTs he’s thrown have been because he was rush entirely too quickly. That, and the general play of our secondary is atrocious.
GO LIONS! RESTORE THE ROAR!
Yeah.....our offensive and defensive lines are the biggest problems.....
No pass rush = corners having to cover too long, opposing QBs and WRs having time to make adjustments, and big play ability for any team against us.
No blocking on offense = Stafford hurried or sacked on every play, coverage sacks, no running game, no time for Stafford and the WRs to make adjustments, and lack of big play ability.
Bleh
If anyone thinks Kevin Smith is the issue you need to get off the drugs. When the O-line is pushed back 3 yards on every running play its a little hard to make your first cut.
I feel for Smith, the kid runs hard and everytime theres a sliver of a hole some weakling O-linemen is pushed far enough of his block a defender can trip up the back.
When you’re getting creamed in the back field 3-5 times a game thats a problem, and not one thats going to be solved with another RB unless his name is Barry Sanders and he’s 22.
I agree...I think Kevin clearly has the skills even if he is more of a Marshall Faulk Lite than an Adrian Peterson Lite
He has skills. No doubt.
http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/
by CapitolLions on Nov 28, 2009 8:49 AM EST up reply actions
Agreed
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
by Hyperion Ecta on Nov 29, 2009 5:56 PM EST up reply actions
I dont agree.....
Yes, the O line sucks. We all know this.
Kevin Smith is NOT the answer though.
The guy is ok, but he isnt our primary back, or at least he shouldnt be. Maybe i am spoiled because i am comparing our running game to the Barry years when our line was almost (but not quite) as bad, and he was still pulling off 100 yard games, but when KS only produces 23-46 yards a game, some of the blame has to be on him as well.
He will be good for a #2 back, but I say lets trade him while his trade value is still high and start fresh. Of course we will need new tackles and guards as well, (i would like for Dominic to go too, but we know that isnt going to happen).
It would be nice to pick up CJ Spiller in the draft, but i know that wont happen as well.
We need a new LT and RT as well in order to support anyone. Backus and Gos are depth guys, not starters.
Oh, and the he D-line and secondary sucks as well, but that’s another post.
If the O line sucks
I think its a little hard to say he isn’t the answer. You had a hall of fame tackle in Lomas Brown and a great center in Kevin Glover during Barry’s years.
We have NONE of this. The offensive line is horrible and anyone that says the kid isnt a starting back in this league is sniffing too much from the can.
The guys been in the league two years with the arguably the worst line in the league, you cant make that kind of statement and be educated about it.
Are you kidding me?
Barry Sanders is a once in a lifetime kind of running back…..comparing any running back to him is down right ridiculous!
I would take the offensive line from the 90’s any day of the week over what we call an offensive line now. These guys we have are a joke.
Agreed...we can't look though "Sanders Glasses"
Compare him to other Rbs in the NFL, he is in the top 20 WITH our current line lol…a shored up line, with Guards who can pull and block, and provide enough time to get Calvin down the field (drawing SS’s out of the box) and he should be top 10…no problem, and he can catch the ball
http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/
by CapitolLions on Nov 29, 2009 11:57 AM EST up reply actions
Agreed
Sanders is in the 0.01% of RB’s, a guy like him won’t come around again.
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
by Hyperion Ecta on Nov 29, 2009 5:57 PM EST up reply actions
Except his son. Barry Sanders Jr. But that's still a guy named Barry Sanders lol.
by toled0lions on Nov 30, 2009 12:49 AM EST up reply actions
wow you 2
I know we can’t ever talk about a RB in motown without a Barry comparison but K-smooth isn’t that kind of back; if there ever will be again. K-smooth is more of the Billy Sims style of back, 1 cut and go, all I’m trying to say is we have had more than 1 back in Detroit in the last 30 years……let’s just hope we can get a line in front of these 2 young studs before we blow Smith’s knees out like Monty Clark did too Sims.
Exactly.....
It is likely that we will never see another Barry Sanders type of back in our lives. I cringe to think what Kevin Smith would do to the league behind a good offensive line, especially if he was no longer wearing our uniforms.
K-smooth
reminds me of Emmit Smith before Dallas put that HOF front line in front of him. Emmit didn’t have break-away speed he just had an awesome line in front of him that seemed to always get into the second level and destroy lb’rs before they could get to Smith.If we had anything clos to that Smith would be up there with the better backs in the league.
Smith is a good soild back...
He is an all-around RB. Catches well. Runs hard. And he is able to pick up the blitz as well. The Problem starts with the line.
if the shoe fits...get another one just like it - George Carlin
Definitely
I say put it to the test……build the offensive line with some road grading linemen and see what Kevin Smith can do. If he still doesn’t get the job done, we have Aaron Brown and can bring other backs in until we can get another. The running game is bad now because we have no blocking…..plain and simple.
Can someone define "break away speed" for me.
I think of 2 backs when I think of break-away speed. Chris johnson and “brain fart” the little bastard that backs up LT out in SD. Those two and thats it. Bush is close in NO but he get’s caught from behind every now and then. I could understand if someone wanted to put Dallas’s back-up on this list also cause he’s got some true speed but seems to have an injury bug in his first 2 years so how long is that speed going to be there.
Darren Sproles
Adrian Peterson is another guy that usually does not get caught from behind (with the exception of Buchanon chasing him down, I have never seen it). Breakaway speed means that once a guy is in the open and has nothing but daylight in front of him, he has that extra gear so that nobody can catch him.
"Break Away Speed" is just as much a product of poor angles by the DBs as anyone else..
Troy Polamalu doesn’t have killer speed, but no on breaks way from him and his perfect angle of persuit…
Chris Johnson, Darren Sproles Felix Jones, and I’ll throw a couple lesser knows…Justin Fargas and Jamal Charles….have top end speed. Other than that, there are a lot of great backs in the NFL with 4.4-4.5 speed. Its vision that gets you 5 yards a carry, and thats the benchmark.
http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/
by CapitolLions on Nov 28, 2009 8:54 AM EST up reply actions
Kevin Smith
The Offensive line is horrible but everyone has to admit that Kevin Smith is over hyped. He is amazing catching the ball from the backfield and can pull off a good run here and there. I don’t think anyone can make the argument that he is an elite back. He can’t break tackles and he doesn’t have elite speed. I am not saying he is a bad player or that he was a bad pick he was great value and has done alot for this team. He just doesn’t have the tools to carry the team on his own. I would love the Lions to pickup a RB in the Steven Jackson type mold in 2010
You guys are too much
Everyone who acts like Kevin Smith is over hyped, over rated, or less than the real deal all think that there are just running backs GALORE in the mold of Adrian Peterson, Steven Jackson, or some other back that they have decided is “elite”. How can you come here and say that you know beyond a reasonable doubt that Kevin Smith can not possibly be an elite RB in this league? You say he does not have “elite” speed……he runs a 4.4. What do you want? A fucking world class sprinter? You say he can’t break tackles. It’s pretty hard to break tackles when you have 2-4 guys on you as soon as you touch the ball, or no help in the 2nd level. I wish that for 1 game we could have Adrian Peterson see what he could do behind our shitty offensive line. The maybe you guys who are running off at the mouth about Kevin Smith would STFU. Sorry, but I am really tired of reading it……there is no basis for it.
You speak the truth, KDawg
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
by Hyperion Ecta on Nov 29, 2009 5:59 PM EST up reply actions
Overhyped?
He was a 3rd round pick. That is not hype.
http://cmufootball.blogspot.com/
by CapitolLions on Nov 29, 2009 11:59 AM EST up reply actions
KDawg
KDawg nothing is certain in life. Smith could surprise everyone and be an elite talent. What have you seen to say that this is likely to happen? Running backs have a short shelf life and everything so far points to average or at least that he will need a complimentary back to make him more effective. I hope I am wrong but elite backs can prosper in even bad systems. I am hoping I am wrong but I haven’t seen anything so far. Make you case for why he can be an elite back?
only 1/2 into his 2nd year
and has one of the worest if not the worst o-line
Just Remember matt... what would Daunte do??
now
i agree he is not a elite back yet.. and i don’t think he will be. He seems to be more of a poor mans R Bush witch i am fine with but we will need to use him as a primary RB this year and maybe even next year before we can start using him like the saints use bush or just full blown WR(I think he would be a good slot guy)
and we never know he could come out and be the best RB to play the game next year if we upgrade the O-line and people start respecting Stafford witch will open his game up
Just Remember matt... what would Daunte do??
I already made my case
I’ve been all over three threads defending Kevin Smith and stating why I think he can be a great back. I do not like the term “elite” because I do not see any running back out there who is as good as Barry Sanders, Walter Payton, Gayle Sayers, or Eric Dickerson (who I consider true elite running backs) except MAYBE for Adrian Peterson and Chris Johnson (LaDainian Tomlinson was going to go down as one of the most elite running backs of all time until he burned out after 7 years of 300+ carries per season). Even Emmitt Smith (who was great in his own right) was not an elite running back. I believe that Kevin Smith is no better or no worse than Emmitt Smith. I never said that Kevin Smith would be an “elite” running back. I said he will be a top 10 back in the league today IF we get an offensive line in front of him that can run block. I think Smith can (and would) be every bit as good as Emmit Smith if he had a line similar to the one Emmitt had in Dallas.
+1
IMO, its like judging what Stafford will do with as few games as he has played. Yes Smith has been around for a couple years but in 2 different offenses. Improve the o-line and you instantly improve Smith and Stafford.
the line
Until we get a line everything on offense will not live up to its potential. IDK who you put back there at qb they will not be successful. I hate backus with a passion!
While I agree the Smith needs to do a better job of breaking tackles
A lot of the running game’s lack of effectiveness can’t be chalked up to Smith. The blocking is terrible with little holes to run through and more often than not, defenders in the backfield. Smith does a great job most of the time in managing to get to the line of scrimmage, and that sometimes requires beating 2 or 3 dudes. Plus, Smith is amazingly versatile and his value in both the passing and blocking is incredibly good. I say we lay off Smith.
2009 = The start of the Lions Golden Age (We hope).
Zack Follett: he will hurt your mind.
I have been one of those questioning KSmith's effectiveness this year.
Earlier in the year I put it down to his shoulder injury which made him a little tentative [in my opinion] while running. Now, it just seems he is always one step away from turning a seven yard gain into a twenty yard gain. When the holes are there, unfortunately not often enough, he is not exploiting them.
He has made himself into a very good pass blocker and an excellent receiver. I was very happy when the Lions drafted him. I thought he was a steal in the third round. He seems to have the skill set to be a great third down back. By no means do I think we should demote or replace him. We need another running back to share the load with him. I just don’t know if 2010 is the right time to try and draft that other RB. We have so much else to upgrade at.
Don’t be surprised if the Lions draft an RB in the third round if they continue with their Best Player Available strategy. It would require one of the better RBs to drop [ie. Dixon or Dwyer or Mathews of Fresno St.] into the third round.
I still say two years behind a horrible offensive line is too soon to say that Kevin Smith....
is a 3rd down back or not effective. I agree that a better power back/change of pace back is needed than Maurice Morris, but there was one available and we made no attempt to sign him. Larry Johnson had 107 yards rushing yesterday……
Lets not forget the teams Kevin has gone up against..
Pittsburgh, Minnesota( x2), Green Bay( x2). Those teams are in the top 5 against the run. And now Cincinnati, and later San Francisco. They round out the top five.
Looking at his stats. Kevin is in the middle of the pack. I can see some inconsistently in his game. He has had 4 games when his Y/A was better than 4 yards. One agianst GB and one against Minn. The Lions do seem to be limiting how many carries he gets in a game. So maybe there is more to the shoulder than we know.
if the shoe fits...get another one just like it - George Carlin
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