Exploring how Detroit Lions can improve their running game, heading into the postseason.
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00:00 So the Lions ground game potentially has room for improvement even after all the progress,
00:04 all the success it gives in Montgomery and had as a duo this season, John.
00:08 So could you elaborate on what that means for the Lions ground game now going into the
00:12 postseason?
00:13 Yeah, clearly against the Cowboys, you would have thought the Lions would have been more
00:17 successful running the football.
00:18 Heading into the game, the Cowboys run defense, obviously not as good as their past defense.
00:24 You recognize maybe that the game plan was going to be to run the football and the Lions
00:27 really struggled in that first half.
00:29 You saw the Cowboys get into the backfield quite a bit.
00:31 You saw a bunch of negative plays, negative gains or zero gains for the Lions in their
00:36 running attack, which was quite a surprise when you have the likes of David Montgomery
00:40 and Jameer Gibbs.
00:42 I thought the offensive line and their blocking didn't do as good a job as they've been known
00:47 to an elite offensive line.
00:49 But I think as of late has been inconsistent in regards to their performance.
00:53 And you know, Vito, this football team's offense, it goes as the running game goes.
00:57 If they can set up the run and be effective, which they were able to do in the second half,
01:02 you saw David Montgomery really coming out of halftime, being able to establish the run.
01:07 But you recognize that when they were in the red zone, again, some of the critical errors
01:11 popped up.
01:12 You recognize this run game, if it's efficient and playing at a high level, that opens things
01:16 up for Jared Goff, the passing game, and really makes the offense that much more potent.
01:21 I just think that Ben Johnson needs to go back to the drawing board and recognize that
01:26 some more creativeness needs to take place.
01:28 Because after 17, 18 weeks of a regular season, there's a lot of tape of Ben Johnson's tendencies.
01:36 And sometimes he gets predictable in his decision making on when he calls run plays.
01:42 Those predictable first down runs can catch up to you against a solid NFL team.
01:46 And I think the Lions will recognize their patterns and how to adjust as they move forward.
01:51 But the run game, Vito, if it doesn't improve, then the success that the Lions will have
01:56 will be limited.
01:57 I think that this football team goes as Jameer Gibbs and David Montgomery goes in the postseason.
02:03 Keep feeding David Montgomery, keep feeding Jameer Gibbs.
02:05 No doubt about it, John.
02:06 John, thanks for all the time.