Last season was nothing short of disastrous for the Detroit Lions. Coming off a rare playoff appearance, the Lions were never able to put together complete games, and their 4-12 record reflected that. At times, the offense or the defense would play well, but it was never for an extended period of time, and they never came across as the same threatening team that they were in 2011.
Defensively, the Lions were terrible, especially on the back end. They relied far too heavily on their defensive line to make plays, but even against the worst passing teams, their secondary couldn't hold up long enough.
Offensively, the Lions were a one dimensional team that couldn't run the ball. They hope that Reggie Bush changes that. Bush gives them an explosive runner that, given a nice hold, can take it the distance. His running style most closely matches Chris Johnson's style, and he gives the Lions a homerun hitting running back for the first time since they lost Jahvid Best to concussions, although technically best could still play for them down the road.
Possibly more importantly, Reggie Bush will give the Lions a great receiver out of the backfield, the one area where he has excelled over the course of his career. With the ball in his hands and open field in front of him, Reggie Bush is one of the most dangerous players in the NFL, and the Lions will no doubt capitalize on his receiving ability early and often throughout the 2013 season.
Is Reggie Bush enough to push the Lions back to the playoffs? No, not by himself, but his impact is greater than his individual value. He should give the Lions a second dimension on offense, something they sorely missed last season. Chances are strong that his impact will help the entire offense in all situations. The Lions have a lot of work left to do before they can start thinking about the playoffs again, but their offense looks a lot more complete with a legitimate running back on the squad. Now, their attention should turn to defense.
