Detroit Lions: Ameer Abdullah confident in team's running game

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- No team in the NFL has run the ball worse than the Detroit Lions the last two seasons, and no one is more confident that is about to change than Ameer Abdullah.

"We want to be better," Abdullah said at Lions training camp this week. "We need to be better, it's not just a want to. We are going to be better."

The Lions averaged just 81.9 yards rushing per game last season, when they lost both Abdullah and backup running back Theo Riddick to season-ending surgeries.

Both Abdullah and Riddick are healthy now, and while the Lions are keeping close tabs on their reps -- Riddick has worn a red no-contact jersey through the first three days of camp, and Abdullah saw limited team work in Tuesday's padded practice - neither has shown any signs of rust so far.

Abdullah, who underwent Lisfranc surgery last September, said he's in a better spot than he was at this time last year, when he was returning from postseason shoulder surgery and was restricted to non-contact drills.

Riddick is coming back from double wrist surgery.

"Full contact is important for me because it allows me just to get better every day in all aspects," Abdullah said. "Sometimes you've got the red jerseys, you're in, you're out, you get an opportunity to do things and you don't, and that's kind of hard as a player when as a running back you have to do so much. You're asked to block, you're asked to obviously run the ball, catch the ball. I'm allowed to do that now and it's allowing me to really get acclimated with this line. I think that's been really important."

The Lions overhauled the right side of their offensive line this offseason, signing Rick Wagner to play tackle and T.J. Lang to play guard, and they expect a step up in play from second-year guard Graham Glasgow.

Left tackle Taylor Decker is expected to miss the first half of the season following June shoulder surgery, but a healthy Abdullah and Riddick should help make the running game hum.

"Every team has talent, we just have to stay healthy and we'll see what happens from there," Riddick said.