Lions Rookie Backs Trusted By Coaching Staff For Reliability, Versatility
By Ashley Scoby
@AshleyScoby
The Lions' two rookie running backs have earned something more than their paychecks this preseason: They've earned the coaching staff's trust.
While rookie Ameer Abdullah (Detroit's second-round draft pick this year) is most likely going to see the ball much more than fellow rookie Zach Zenner (undrafted, but still earned a spot on the roster), both are seen as reliable by the coaches.
Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi said Thursday that he expects Abdullah to get his fair share of carries. But the Lions are also expecting him to accumulate some stats through the air as well.
"He's going to get a chance to run the ball and he's also going to get used extensively in the pass game," Lombardi said. "Like a lot of running backs, he's a well-rounded player which makes it easy. People call them 'three-down backs' and he's certainly a guy that can do it all. So he'll be rotated in there and we expect good things from him."
While many NFL running backs are indeed well-rounded, like Lombardi said, not all can be a viable threat in the passing game. Last year, two running backs (the Bears' Matt Forte and the Steelers' Le'Veon Bell) were in the top 20 in the league in receptions. After that, there was a significant drop-off, with no other running backs in the top 40. Forte led all running backs last season in targets, with 130.
Abdullah most likely won't get that many (Detroit has a couple of decent receivers, if you haven't heard), but should still serve as a way to put pressure on the defense to cover players vertically. He may never have played a down in the NFL, but Abdullah has apparently shown enough in the preseason and in training camp to warrant some targets.
"He's a really smart player," Lombardi said. "He's a professional, so we don't have any qualms about limiting what he does."
Further down the depth chart is Zenner: the Lions' fourth running back, and until maybe the last week of the preseason, wasn't a lock for a roster spot. But he scored two game-winning touchdowns in the preseason, and was a workhorse in all aspects, according to his coaches.
NFL rules mandate that only 46 of a team's 53 players can be active on game days. It's unclear whether Zenner will be on that list. But Lombardi said that his trust in Zenner once he gets on the field is far from shaky.
"He's a heck of a special teams player and he's a guy who we're really comfortable with on offense," he said. "We like him as a runner and he's very reliable in protections. … On Sunday, I have no idea whether he's going to be active or not, but if it was third and eight in the fourth quarter on Sunday, and we're like, 'Hey, they're going to dial-up one of these blitzes' and Zach Zenner was out there, I wouldn't have any problems with that. I know he's going to do the right thing, block the right guy and do it well."
That philosophy on a rookie running back is certainly not always reached so quickly. Adjusting to the speed and athleticism of the NFL game is tough at any position, especially running back where speed is such a factor – both in the running game and in pass protection.
In Detroit, though, the Lions think they have rookie backs - including fullback Michael Burton as well - who have all gained the kind of trust that's difficult to find in first-year players.
"Really from day one, Ameer, Zach and Michael, these guys have shown a maturity that maybe is rare for rookies," he said. "How quickly they pick things up and how seriously they take it. … I think a lot of times I would say not comfortable at all, but all three of those guys I feel real good about."
