Reggie Bush said the Lions’ new scheme is “exactly the same” as the one he ran in New Orleans years ago.

“The new system, like I said, I played in the system five years in New Orleans so all the terminology’s pretty much the same to me,” Bush said. “We definitely have what it takes to be an explosive offense, just as we were last year. Just got to clean up doing the little things right and we’ll be OK.”

First-year Lions offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi, an offensive assistant with the Saints for seven seasons, said after he was hired that his playbook is a combination of ideas he brought from New Orleans, leftovers from the Lions’ last offense, and things Caldwell and others have added from previous stops.

One tenet of the system, and something the Lions have stressed repeatedly in their off-season practices, is playing at a fast pace in order to control the tempo of the game.

The Lions have had a good offense for years under former OC Scott Linehan, so it's not like the arrival of Lombardi is a big upgrade. But there are more weapons (Golden Tate, Eric Ebron) around Matthew Stafford, who looks primed for a good fantasy season.

Among new Lions head coach Jim Caldwell's most pressing tasks will be fixing QB Matthew Stafford, the promising quarterback who has tumbled into mediocrity the past two years.

At the center of many of his problems is a decline in accuracy, which sank all the way to 58.5 percent last year. That was 30th in the NFL.

"Absolutely, absolutely, absolutely, without question," Caldwell said, when asked if accuracy could be taught. As the story points out, Caldwell has a pretty good resume with QBs: He worked with Peyton Manning for nearly a decade in Indianapolis, and took him to a Super Bowl in 2009, and later rode Baltimore's Joe Flacco to a Super Bowl in 2012. He has a reputation around the league for knowing the fundamentals of the position, and just how to impart them.

On the topic of Lions QB Matthew Stafford and his irregular footwork and release points...

"I think there certainly has to be some work done," general manager Martin Mayhew said last week. "I couldn't really quantify that."

Mayhew said Stafford can still be salvaged. That belief was a guiding principle during the Lions' two-week coaching search, and the subsequent week-long search for a staff.

Detroit eventually tabbed a head coach (Jim Caldwell) that worked for a decade with Peyton Manning, and an offensive coordinator (Joe Lombardi) who spent the past five years as Drew Brees' personal quarterback coach with the New Orleans Saints.

That's no accident.

Stafford will have at least two quarterback coaches on staff, and could have a third if the Lions hire an actual quarterback coach. Their exact plan remains unknown, but the moves are being hailed around the league as a perfect match for the talented yet middling quarterback.

"I have no doubt (Lombardi will fix Stafford)," Saints tailbacks coach Dan Roushar said. "I have complete confidence. Joe is a phenomenal football coach, and it's a great hire for Matthew."

Stafford's play has slipped since his 5,038-yard, 41-TD season in 2011. The Lions are hoping that they can get Stafford back on track, and the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem.

The Lions will hire Saints quarterbacks coach Joe Lombardi as offensive coordinator, league sources told ESPN Senior NFL Insider Chris Mortensen.

Lombardi, grandson of Hall of Fame coach Vince Lombardi, emerged as the favorite among numerous candidates for the job since Jim Caldwell was hired last week as coach, sources told ESPN.

Lombardi spent the past seven seasons as an offensive assistant with the Saints, who promoted him to quarterbacks coach in 2009.

With Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush, the Lions have the key pieces to make an offense run. Lombardi comes from a great system in New Orleans and will have the chance to thrive in Detroit.

QB Matthew Stafford reached his zenith in 2011, with a 41-touchdown, 5,038-yard season, but he’s been only a 59-percent passer in the two seasons since—with some great days, but also some inconsistent ones.

Said new HC Jim Caldwell: “I’ve watched every throw Matthew made last season, because when I came here and met with him, I wanted to have some familiarity with him. We didn’t go through film together, but we talked about I saw, and I listened to him, and it was very beneficial. We have used a set of drills in coaching over the years that I think has added some consistency to all the quarterbacks we’ve coached. The great majority of poor throws—people look at the arm, and that’s important obviously, but I think footwork is the key. I can pull up any gamefilm and show you how our footwork drills help you. In a nutshell, the feet and eyes work together. If I’m throwing in a particular direction, my footwork is pointing in the same direction—directly at the target. We’ll work on it with Matthew, and he will do them flawlessly.”

Stafford's various release points have been a point of comedy in football circles, but it sounds like Caldwell is intent on cleaning up his QB's footwork at the very least. It's safe to say that Stafford has regressed from his 5,038-yard, 40-TD season in 2011.

In the biggest game of the season, Calvin Johnson was reduced to a decoy and a bystander. He was targeted four times, caught three of them for 43 yards. He was not targeted in the second half.

“He wasn’t his full self,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said.

Coach Jim Schwartz said that on top of the right knee issues he’s dealt with all season, he’s been hampered by an ankle injury the last two weeks.

“His absence obviously affects things,” Schwartz said. “But Calvin is a tough guy. He tried to do whatever he could today. Calvin is beat up, he’s been beat up the whole year. But he tried to do what he could. We tried to use him on third downs and in the red zone but he was nowhere near 100 percent.”

Schwartz didn't rule out Johnson playing this week when he was asked if the team will shut him down for the season. But with the Lions eliminated and Week 17 now meaningless, it seems like it would be in the team's best interest to hold Johnson out.

Calvin Johnson wasn’t exactly used as a decoy Sunday, but he clearly wasn’t able to be his normal, All-Pro self.

“It was going to be all up to him,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said on the Lions’ plans for Johnson Sunday, who returned to active duty after missing last week with an injured right knee. “He was battling as hard as he could to be out there as much as he could.

Johnson only played 14 snaps in the first half and he dropped two passes. He played a lot more in the second half, though mostly he lined up in the slot. Most of the routes he ran were short, ball-possession plays.

Megatron wound up with eight targets and three catches for 25 yards. It sounded like the team knew he was going to be limited and tried to save his snaps for the second half. HC Jim Schwartz said his presence helped Reggie Bush and TE Joseph Fauria have big days. Unfortunately, owners don't get fantasy points for being a decoy, but the good news to take out of it is he appeared to come out of the game healthy and should be more involved going forward.

Detroit Lions running back Reggie Bush put together a monster performance in the team's season-opening victory over the Minnesota Vikings, but he finished the contest a little worse for wear.

In the first quarter of Sunday's 34-24 win, Bush suffered injuries to his thumb and groin.

Trying to haul in a low pass from quarterback Matthew Stafford on a 3rd-and-1 play in the red zone, Bush's thumb was dislocated.

The next offensive series, Bush suffered another injury, this time tweaking his groin.

Bush said he felt great after the game, despite saying his thumb was "facing the wrong direction." It could be a different story in a day or two when the pain killers wear off. However, it was a good sign he came back and it looks like he'll be fine for Week 2 at Arizona. Bush went over 100 yards receiving with a TD and added 90 rushing yards.

Detroit Lions receiver Calvin Johnson didn’t miss a beat when he returned to practice Saturday after he missed the second exhibition game of the season with a knee bruise.

Johnson and quarterback Matthew Stafford connected on several pass plays, including some deep balls, as the offense continues to try to hit its stride.

No worries here.

Lions WR Nate Burleson is supposed to be Matthew Stafford's No. 2 receiver, but instead dropped two balls against Cleveland and has yet to record a catch in the preseason. In fact, Stafford has completed passes to only two receivers in all of the preseason (Johnson and Patrick Edwards), despite Johnson not even playing against the Browns. Part of the problem is Burleson, who is struggling to gain separation and not completing catches when he does.

From a fantasy standpoint, as long as he stays healthy, it's only a matter of time before Ryan Broyles passes Burleson on the team's depth chart.