The NFL’s highest-scoring team through the first month of the season, the Detroit Lions have struggled to generate points their past four games and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said a lack of explosive plays is the biggest reason why.
“The explosive game hasn’t been there and that’s not just throwing the ball down the field or getting the big runs. It’s also some of these opportunities we had to get the ball in our hands short and making a tackler miss and creating something that way,” Johnson said. “We are always on the search to get those explosive (plays). When we do those explosive plays, it typically generates more points for us.”
The Lions had four explosive plays, which they define as runs of at least 12 yards and passes of at least 18 yards, in last week’s 15-9 win over the Green Bay Packers, and six in their 24-6 loss to the Dallas Cowboys the week before.
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Johnson said the Lions averaged more than eight explosive plays per game in the first four weeks of the season, when they scored 35 points per contest.
In the past four games, they’ve scored 48 points combined, an average of 12 per game.
“When you play ball that way, the margin of error gets a little bit smaller,” Johnson said. “And you’ve got to be great on third down, which we haven’t been. So to me, that’s the difference between early in the season and last few games is the explosive plays haven’t quite been there.”
Injuries have contributed to the Lions’ lack of big plays.
DJ Chark, the Lions’ top deep threat at receiver, has not played since Week 3, running back D’Andre Swift missed three games with shoulder and ankle injuries (and has played sparingly since his return), and receivers Amon-Ra St. Brown and Josh Reynolds have missed time with injuries.
The Lions also traded tight end T.J. Hockenson to the Minnesota Vikings last week.
Still, Johnson said the unit has to do a better job of creating chunk plays.
“I look back at the first eight games here, I’ve had some of my best calls, in my opinion, have resulted in zero yards,” he said. “And we’ve just been that close to hitting. And then some of my worst calls in my (opinion) have been some big plays for us because the players make it right. And that’s kind of the give and take of play calling. So generally speaking, it’s on these guys if we can get the ball in their hands to make something happen. But we’re trying to create as much separation schematically to help them.”
More on Swift
Johnson acknowledged Thursday that Swift was frustrated with his limited role last week against the Packers.
Swift had two carries for 10 yards and three catches for 40 yards while playing a season-low 10 snaps. On several occasions, he looked like he was ready to enter the game, only to have the Lions use Jamaal Williams or Justin Jackson instead.
“I think he got pissed off a little bit,” Johnson said. “He caught that third down and was just a little bit short and we took him out. But that’s good. That’s good. That means he’s going the right direction for us.”
Swift, who has battled shoulder and ankle injuries most of the season, has declined interview requests this week. He was a limited participant in practice Thursday.
“It’s a balance right now for him because once again he hasn’t felt 100%, and that’s been a big part of it is when he’s feeling good and it’s going to show up on Sunday in a positive way for us,” Johnson said. “So, we’ll see. We’ll see as the week goes on in practice, we’ll see on Sunday as we get into the game just how much or how little we use him.”
Reynolds did not practice Thursday because of a back injury and likely will miss his second straight game Sunday against the Chicago Bears. Rookie safety Kerby Joseph was limited in practice with a red no-contact jersey and remains in concussion protocol, and Chase Lucas practiced on a limited basis Thursday for the first time since spraining his ankle last month.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.