DETROIT -- For at least the opening game, Calvin Johnson turned into a decoy much of the time for the Detroit Lions.
Johnson, who set the NFL record for receiving yards in a season last year, was held to four catches for 37 yards by the Minnesota Vikings.
A year ago, the Lions wouldn’t have had a chance to win the game.
But that was before the addition of Reggie Bush.
Bush, still an electrifying running back in his eighth season in the NFL, is quickly turning the Lions into a pick-your-poison type of offense.
The Vikings put their focus on containing Johnson and that helped open up Bush, who rushed for 90 yards and caught four passes for 101 yards in the Lions’ 34-24 victory at Ford Field.
“I haven’t seen a five- or six-man box since New Orleans (where he played his first five years),” Bush said, referring to the number of defenders playing inside and near the line of scrimmage. “It was very pleasant looking across the line and seeing those guys worrying about Calvin and not me.
“I was facing eight-, nine-man boxes in Miami (the last two years). This is refreshing. We have to make them respect the run. I think we did that today.”
It’s not that Johnson disappeared. He was inches away from scoring two touchdowns.
The first was a familiar one with Johnson unable to “complete the process” of the catch – his least-favorite phrase in the NFL rule book - as the ball hit the ground as he reached it across the goal line.
“It’s my third time the NFL done screwed me,” Johnson said, laughing.
You can laugh about it when you win.
On the other near-miss, Johnson failed to get both feet down in the back of end zone. The right foot was in, but the left touched the end line.
The Lions, however, weren’t going to let those misfortunes or anything else hold them back on this day.
“The guys did a great job of being resilient,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said.
They had to be because there was a lot of adversity to overcome, much of it self-inflicted:
• The Lions drove into Vikings’ territory on the game’s opening possession before Bush dislocated his left thumb on a third-down incompletion, rookie holder Sam Martin (the punter drafted in the fifth round) dropped the snap to abort a field-goal attempt and then Adrian Peterson broke loose for a 78-yard touchdown run on the Vikings’ first offensive play. Instead of leading 3-0, the Lions suddenly trailed 7-0.
• Early in the second quarter, a touchdown on an interception return by Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy was negated by a senseless illegal-block penalty behind the play by teammate Ndamukong Suh. Two plays later, an interception gave the ball back to the Vikings, who scored in less than two minutes. Instead of leading 13-7, the Lions trailed 14-6.
“The dumb penalties and the turnovers were hurting us early,” said Bush, who had his thumb put back in place and taped up, and also persevered through a strained groin suffered early in the game. “The message (at halftime) was to stop beating ourselves.
“Just some dumb mistakes. We know better. We’ve got enough veterans. The penalties came from some guys who we consider leaders on this team (Suh and safety Louis Delmas, who was called for a retaliatory taunting penalty). We can’t have penalties after the play. It’s a momentum killer. They know that. We’ll correct it.”
The Lions had no margin for error when they committed bonehead plays a year ago.
It’s a little different with Bush. He turned a middle screen into a 77-yard touchdown for what proved to be the winning touchdown.
“I’m not going to apologize for any win,” coach Jim Schwartz said. “There are a lot of positives in this game. We were resilient. We played hard. We played physical. We went out and beat a playoff team. I’m not going to apologize for anything this team did.”
No apology needed, but the Lions know that those brain cramps will keep them from winning against quality opponents, especially on the road.
Schwartz is right, though.
Despite a few of those “same old Lions” moments that made this game closer than it should have been, there were examples that showed this is a much more talented team than a year ago when they lost their final eight games to finish 4-12.
For instance, after giving up the big play early, the Lions totally shut down Peterson, at times using a four-linebacker scheme to do it. Peterson gained 15 yards on his final 17 carries.
“That’s A.P., baby, that’s good,” defensive tackle Nick Fairley said.
The defense also forced four turnovers – three interceptions and one fumble – and made three sacks.
Fairley, who had a fumble recovery and 1 ½ sacks, came charging through to level quarterback Christian Ponder and force a punt on the first possession of the second half. It helped give the Lions good field position and set up the go-ahead touchdown.
“The red sea parted, the boat stayed, I jumped on it,” Fairley said, describing the sack.
Meanwhile, the revamped, younger and more athletic offensive line created enough space that the Lions actually outrushed the Vikings, 117-105, while allowing only one sack.
Johnson’s supporting cast in the receiving corps even made some big plays as Nate Burleson, Patrick Edwards and Kris Durham combined for 10 catches for 119 yards. Rookie tight end Joe Fauria even scored the clinching touchdown.
Stafford was impressed by his line. “That’s the most air (holes) that’s been in the run game since I’ve been here when we’ve played them (Minnesota),” he said.
And Johnson loved the many weapons around him. “Reggie making plays, Nate making plays, Pat making plays,” Megatron said. “We have a plethora of options.”
It starts with him. It always will.
But with Bush lining up here, there and everywhere, it’s a different look for the offense. That was the plan when they signed him back in March, and now it’s the reality.
