It’s always noteworthy when the Detroit Lions accomplish something in the rushing offense category that trumps the entire Barry Sanders era with the team. In Sunday’s 41-10 win over the Chicago Bears, the Lions ran for more yards in a home game than they ever did in Sanders’ 11 Hall of Fame seasons in Detroit.
The Lions hit 265 rushing yards in the win. Led by Jamaal Williams racking up 144 yards on 22 carries, Detroit averaged 6.8 yards per carry on 39 attempts. It was the most rushing yards by the Lions in a home game since 1978, when the team played at the Pontiac Silverdome. In Week 8 of 1978, Detroit ran for 273 yards on 39 carries in a 31-14 win over the Chargers. Dexter Bussey and Horace King each topped 90 rushing yards and WR Freddie Scott chipped in 28 of his own.
The most the Lions ever ran for in a single game in the Sanders era (1989-99) came in Week 8 in 1991 at Minnesota. Sanders hit 220 on his own and the Lions gashed the Vikings for 267 yards on 38 carries.
Williams ran for 144 and D’Andre Swift charged for 78 yards on 11 carries of his own. Rookie WR Jameson Williams blazed for 40 yards on his only carry. The Lions technically hit 268 but lost three total yards when backup QB Nate Sudfeld knelt down in three victory formation plays at the end of the game.
