The Detroit Lions have a wealth of depth at the skill positions offensively.
With two steady running backs, a talented tight end and a host of receiving options, Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson is tasked with creating opportunities for a number of players.
Johnson acknowledges that getting each involved can be a tough task. As a result, the play-caller often designates touches for each player based on what the game dictates.
“Within the circumstance of the game, it’s just an ebb and flow.
May or may not try to just dial it up to get it in someone’s hands.
Other times, it might be, hey, I think they’re gonna be in this defense or we want to attack them this way,” Johnson said.
“It’s a balancing act right now. It’s a blessing and a curse to have this many talented skill players.
We’ve got a phenomenal tight end, we’ve got two really good running backs and all five wide receivers that are up on gameday deserve to get the ball in their hands and run with it.”
Because there are only a finite number of plays in a game, it’s likely that some players will be under utilized.
This creates the conundrum for Johnson, who understands that frustration can be a natural outcome of not getting enough touches.
“That’s where, each week, you’re all gonna have plays in, and someone’s probably gonna be not as happy that they’re not touching the ball enough,” Johnson explained.
“We just try to cycle it around each week. We’ve got a lot of dynamic playmakers, and that’s the challenge for us right now.”
Since the bye week, the Lions’ defense has struggled.
Detroit has allowed an average of 30 points per game in the four games since, exhibiting a difficulty to contain opposing offenses.
As a result, defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn believes there’s urgency to continue to improve throughout the remainder of the campaign.
Players like Alex Anzalone and Alim McNeill, prior to his injury, are having career-best years.
With Reeves-Maybin’s prowess on coverage teams, opponents will likely allocate extra attention for the veteran.
However, his performance against the Saints showed he’s more than capable of overcoming that and making an impact.
“The one thing that happens with these guys is, when you’re a good player, you get a lot of attention.
They put good players on you. If they don’t put two guys on you, they put their best guy on you,” Fipp explained.
“So, for him to go out and do that against a good football team, that has a bunch of good players on their side of the ball and (a) well-coached group that has a good plan, it obviously says a lot about him individually.”
The one thing that has gotten our attention is that they’re coming off a bye week.
So, typically when you play a defense like this, one they’re rested, two, specific to this game, they’re probably upset, angry about how the last game finished for them,”
Detroit quarterbacks coach Mark Brunell said.
“They have time to put things in that perhaps you’re not ready for.
We will be surprised on a few things, whether it’s a front, it’s a type of pressure, it’s a coverage, we’ll see something different.
That usually happens every week, but when a team comes off a bye, you see a lot more of it. So, it’s a concern.
You have to be ready for just about everything.”