Jim Caldwell Lays Out Vision For Offense In 2015
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
CBS DETROIT - Over the three seasons prior to the arrival of head coach Jim Caldwell, the Detroit Lions racked up an average of 4,741 passing yards per season. Last year, the Lions operated in an offense patterned after the New Orleans Saints and turned in 4,030 passing yards.
Many expected more production in Caldwell's first season at the helm because the Saints, using a similar offense, had averaged 5,087 passing yards per season between 2011 and 2013.
The Lions did battle some significant injuries last season, none more trying than the ankle issue of star wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Still, while Caldwell allows that Detroit's total passing yardage could increase in the upcoming season, he says it will not be because the Lions throw the ball more.
"Here's the thing I want to make certain that you guys understand and see what I see just in terms of a vision," Caldwell said March 25 at the NFL owners meetings in Phoenix. "When I tell you that we're not going to throw the ball any more than we threw it, that's a fact. We're probably not going to throw it [more]. If we do throw it more, that means we're behind, we're struggling, we're not winning, we're not a very good football team, okay? Plain and simple."
While some fans want to see more flash from the offense, Caldwell and offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi have repeated that they do not care about the statistics as long as the Lions keep winning.
Detroit won 11 games in 2014 - four more than they did in 2013 and seven more than they did in 2012. The Lions want more in 2015, but they do not believe they need more passing yards to get there.
"How we get better is not necessarily become more prolific," Caldwell said. "We have to be more efficient. We have to turn the ball over less. Wee have to make certain that our percentage of completion is up. We have to make certain we don't drop as many balls, things of that nature that are extremely important to us, and make certain that we run the ball effectively. We get our running game going, everything opens up, and that's going to be a real challenge for us as well."
As far as how players such as tight ends Brandon Pettigrew and Eric Ebron and running back Theo Riddick get more involved in the offense, Caldwell noted that anyone who gets more touches in 2015 will be taking them away from someone else.
Caldwell used Golden Tate, who made 99 catches and filled in at times as the number one receiver in the absence of Johnson, as an example of the redistribution of plays that will occur.
"What you guys will do, probably, is you'll look at it [at the end of the season], you'll say, 'Okay, Golden ended up with 65 catches, well, what happened?'" Caldwell said. "Well, Calvin missed quite a few games. He didn't get as many balls, so the fact of the matter is, is when you look at it, as you're analyzing this thing, we're not going to throw the ball a whole lot more than what we threw it. We'll just redistribute it a little bit differently, and we'll try to get it in the hands of the guys that will be able to help us."
In terms of improving the running game, Caldwell indicated the departure of veteran Reggie Bush, whom the team released earlier this offseason, could mean more playing time for Theo Riddick.
Throughout the 2014 season, coaches said Riddick did not get as much work as the team would have liked because his skill set is similar to that of Bush. The team's running game ranked among the worst in the league, however, and the Lions ran much less - only 1,422 yards total - than they passed.
Improving that balance is what Caldwell is most interested in.
"The running game, to me, is really kind of the heartbeat of your team, right there in the core - Can you run the ball? Can you stop the run? - and that's going to be our primary focus," Caldwell said. "Then our other focus is obviously making certain our percentage completion continues to move forward as well."
The coach also acknowledged the team must get better on the offensive line after quarterback Matthew Stafford took a beating from opposing defenses. Caldwell insisted, however, all the blame should not go to the line.
"Any time you get the quarterback hit as many times as our guy was hit, we need to improve," Caldwell said. "Now, that doesn't always fall strictly on the offensive line, so I don't want to see headlines in that regard. It's tight ends, it's backs, it's a lot of other people. Receivers running routes on time, things of that nature, so it's all-encompassing. We do need to improve in that area."
