The Detroit Lions have been doing that more and more in recent weeks, and it paid off in Sunday’s 31-14 victory at Jacksonville with a season-high 149 yards rushing.
Coach Jim Schwartz said rookie offensive tackle Riley Reiff, the club’s first-round draft pick, deserves a lot of credit for that production. Reiff (6-foot-6, 313 pounds) has been entering the game at times as an “eligible receiver” to give the Lions some more beef up front.
“He’s given our run game an incredible boost,” Schwartz said Monday during his weekly news conference. “The offensive line has blocked very well. I think we’ve seen probably the most consistent and most productive run game since I’ve been here. A lot of it has to do with attitude upfront. Riley’s a big part of that.”