The Detroit Lions will be without their leading rusher for the remainder of the season, however long that is.
Detroit placed running back Theo Riddick on season-ending injured reserve on Saturday, one day ahead of its crucial Sunday Night Football game against the Packers.* *
Riddick had already been ruled out of the game earlier in the week with a lingering wrist injury, but his new designation now prevents him from playing in a potential Lions postseason game.
The Lions' running game has been an issue for the team all season. Riddick's team-leading 357 rushing yards are the lowest total of any team leader in the league. Detroit is the only team in the NFL without a 100-yard rusher since 2014. Also, no Lions back has even rushed for more than 75 yards in a game this season.
So Detroit will have to go at it without Riddick, as the team has since he exited their Week 13 win over the Saints. In his place will be Zach Zenner and Dwayne Washington, a Thunder and Lightning pairing of sorts. Washington saw the bulk of the carries in Weeks 14 and 15, while Zenner broke out for 67 yards and two scores last week against the Cowboys.
But if Riddick's trip to IR reinforces anything, it's that this remains Matthew Stafford's offense and the Lions' season will go as he goes, regardless of their running back situation.
