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Factoid

Detroit Lions

Will running game sputter under Darrell Bevell

When we last saw Darrell Bevell, he was closing out his run (as an offensive coordinator) in Seattle with a pair of subpar years. Pete Carroll didn’t like that they weren’t running the ball often enough or effectively enough, so he fired him (and also canned offensive line coach Tom Cable). Now the Lions are dusting him off and handing him the keys to their offense.

Both of Bevell’s last two offenses in Seattle ranked in the bottom 10 in rushing. While he sat out the 2018 season, Brian Schottenheimer took over as the Seahawks offensive coordinator and installed a more run-centric offense (the Seahawks ranked 1st in rushing but just 25th in passing).

Now Bevell is tasked with orchestrating Detroit’s offense. He’s replacing Jim Bob Cooter.

While Bevell’s last two teams have been more effective passing the ball, the larger body of work indicates he’s a more balanced play caller.

Prior to those last two seasons in Seattle, Bevell had been an offensive coordinator for 10 NFL teams (five seasons with the Seahawks, and five with the Vikings). Using standard fantasy scoring, 80 percent of those teams (including 8 of the last 9) ranked in the top 10 in rushing production. Yet all but two of those teams ranked below-average in passing production.

Some chance, I think, that Kerryon Johnson (pictured) gets plenty of carries and emerges as a top-10 running back. He was effective at times as a rookie before missing the last six games.

I am not as optimistic about the chances of Matthew Stafford re-emerging as a top-10 quarterback.

DARRELL BEVELL OFFENSES
YearTeamWinPointsRk
2006Minnesota Vikings6-1028226
2007Minnesota Vikings8-836515
2008Minnesota Vikings10-637912
2009Minnesota Vikings12-44702
2010Minnesota Vikings6-1028129
2011Seattle Seahawks7-932123
2012Seattle Seahawks11-54129
2013Seattle Seahawks13-34178
2014Seattle Seahawks12-439410
2015Seattle Seahawks10-64234
2016Seattle Seahawks10-5-135418
2017Seattle Seahawks9-736611
DARRELL BEVELL RUSHING
YearTeamAttYdsAvgTDPointsRk
2006Minnesota Vikings4421,8204.112254.019
2007Minnesota Vikings4942,6345.322395.41
2008Minnesota Vikings5192,3324.515323.27
2009Minnesota Vikings4671,9184.119305.810
2010Minnesota Vikings4411,9424.416290.29
2011Seattle Seahawks4441,7564.015265.614
2012Seattle Seahawks5362,5794.816353.94
2013Seattle Seahawks5092,1884.314302.88
2014Seattle Seahawks5252,7625.320396.21
2015Seattle Seahawks5002,2684.510286.89
2016Seattle Seahawks4031,5913.913237.120
2017Seattle Seahawks4091,6294.04186.928
DARRELL BEVELL PASSING
YearTeamPctYdsTDIntSckPts
2006Minnesota Vikings61%3,402132043418.2
2007Minnesota Vikings58%2,938121438365.8
2008Minnesota Vikings59%3,217221743453.7
2009Minnesota Vikings68%4,40334734644.3
2010Minnesota Vikings60%3,327142636416.7
2011Seattle Seahawks59%3,444151450434.4
2012Seattle Seahawks64%3,234271033485.4
2013Seattle Seahawks64%3,50827944512.8
2014Seattle Seahawks63%3,25020742445.0
2015Seattle Seahawks68%4,06134846610.1
2016Seattle Seahawks65%4,422231242580.2
2017Seattle Seahawks61%3,979341243601.9

—Ian Allan

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