Lions' Maurice Morris makes case for two-back run game

Dana Wakiji / The Detroit News

Detroit -- Many successful teams in the NFL use a two-back system. The Lions might consider it, if only to help prevent injuries to Kevin Smith.

The New York Giants have Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw, each of whom had rushed for more than 450 yards entering Sunday.

In Sunday's loss to the St. Louis Rams, Maurice Morris rushed 14 times for 63 yards, a 4.5-yard average per carry. Smith, who aggravated a shoulder injury and also had a foot problem, ran 16 times for 45 yards, a 2.8-yard average.

"Did a good job, and that's why we signed Maurice in the offseason," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "He's a running back that's proven in this league. And he's gonna need to carry a load for us. He had some injury problems, been set back over the first half of the season, but we need him at full speed and we need him to be able to get some yards like that."

Morris was hampered by a hip problem earlier in the season but appeared to be at full strength after the bye week.

Morris, in his eighth season, came into Sunday's game with only 12 carries for 43 yards. He's only two years removed from his most productive season, when he had 140 carries for 628 yards, a 4.5-yard average.

Smith has also been hampered by injuries in his short career. But he said he'd be ready to play next week in Seattle.

"We'll have to see sort of where Kevin is," Schwartz said. "He got beat up a little bit in the game, a couple different things. It wasn't a situation where he was benched or anything. Mo was being effective, Kevin was limited. I think he could have gone back in the game. But the decision was made to keep him out."

Morris' teammates say they know what to expect from Morris.

"He runs hard," center Dominic Raiola said. "I know how Mo runs, he runs really hard."

The Lions came into the game ranked 21st in rushing, averaging 99 yards a game. Although they had 33 rushes for 127 yards, they couldn't match Rams back Steven Jackson, who finished with 149 yards on 22 carries for a 6.8-yard average.

You can reach Dana Wakiji at (313) 222-2089 or dwakiji@detnews.com.