“The Detroit Lions need a running game.”
That is a statement that has been used each and every year since the great Barry Sanders surprised Lions Nation by retiring from football in 1999. Since that time, the Lions have failed time and time again to find a running back who can get the job done for more than just a few games. To put things into perspective, in the 18 seasons since Sanders called it quits, the Lions have only had a running back go over 1,000 yards in a season four times. (James Stewart in 2000 and 2002, Kevin Jones in 2004, and Reggie Bush in 2013.
When the Lions drafted Ameer Abdullah in the second round of the 2015 NFL Draft, they hoped he would break the trend and become a workhorse in the backfield. After rushing for 597 yards in nine starts his rookie season (4.2 YPC), the hope was that Abdullah was ready to have a breakout year in 2016. Unfortunately, he was injured in the second game of the season and was unable to return to the Lions in 2016. Now the hope is Abdullah can come back stronger than ever and be the lead back in Detroit.
The question is, will Abdullah be the next great Lions running back, or is he more of a complementary back who needs a partner to get the job done?
During Super Bowl week in Houston, Barry Sanders, Michael Irvin, and LaDainian Tomlinson all gave their thoughts on whether or not they believe Abdullah will be “the guy” in Detroit.
“I think we were probably one-dimensional, in a lot of ways,” Barry Sanders said Thursday while working with Pepsi on radio row at the Super Bowl. “At some point, you would think you need to be a little more balanced, I guess. So I’m sure that’s what they’re thinking.”
Opinions are mixed around the league about what the Lions ought to do.
“Whether Ameer could be that guy every down, I’m not sure,” Sanders said.
“That’s a good question,” Hall of Fame receiver Michael Irvin added. “They do have personnel in place, but I don’t know if they have the personnel to do that. What you’re talking about is a Ezekiel Elliott kind of guy. The guy who can hit a home run and grind it out. I don’t know that they have that guy.”
Former Chargers star LaDainian Tomlinson said Abdullah is a rotational back, getting around 12 to 15 carries per game, and the Lions must add a power complement.
“I think they’re going to have to get another runner,” Tomlinson said. “I have a lot of respect for him. A tremendous talent, in my mind. I think there’s ways that Ameer needs to be used. But I do think you need another physical bruising running back to go along with Ameer.”
To read more about what Sanders had to say about the Lions rushing attack, please read the entire article by Kyle Meinke on MLive by clicking the link below.
Source: Barry Sanders, other greats mixed on Lions’ Ameer Abdullah | MLive.com
