The Detroit Lions haven’t done a lot of things successfully in the last few seasons, but there are a few areas where Detroit excelled. One of them that likely catches many fans by surprise is running the ball in the red zone.
Over the last two seasons, the Lions have been quite effective at cashing in runs inside the opposing 20-yard line into six points. The Lions rate of 4.4 carries per touchdown scored in the last two seasons is the third-best in the league. Only Baltimore and San Francisco score TDs more efficiently in the red zone on the ground, and the Lions’ sample size is higher than both.
The top and bottom five in red zone TD efficiency on the ground since 2020, from NFL Inside Edge:
Detroit should have little issue staying near the top of the list in the coming season. A strong offensive line definitely helps, as does D’Andre Swift’s keen nose for the end zone (13 rushing TDs in two years, 10 in the red zone). It is worth noting the Lions overall red zone offensive efficiency was largely terrible in 2021, ranking 31st by scoring touchdowns just 47 percent of the time. Perhaps they should have run the ball more inside the 20…
