Allen Park — When a team runs as well as the Detroit Lions did in the season opener — churning out 181 yards on 28 carries — it’s not just the offensive line opening holes or the running back making defenders miss; it’s usually a full-team effort.
In Detroit, the Lions have placed an emphasis on blocking, at every position. And starting with D’Andre Swift’s 50-yard romp on the second play of the game, that emphasis showed up as tight end T.J. Hockenson and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown provided key blocks to spring the back into the second level of the defense.
St. Brown came to Detroit with a reputation for being a physical blocker, an often underrated trait at the receiver position. But he’s not content to be the only guy in his room providing that support in the ground game. He’s made it a mission to spread that mentality to the team’s other receivers, something that was apparent in the opener, as Josh Reynolds and DJ Chark routinely provided key blocks for Swift and backfield mate Jamaal Williams.
“That’s just the identity in the room,” Chark said. “I credit St. Brown and (Kalif Raymond), two of the smaller guys, but they go out there and get after it. So, I don’t have any excuse because I’m kinda bigger, so I don’t want to get shown up every time we’re watching film. It’s just in the receiver room. That’s something we take seriously, but it also opens up the passing game.”
When asked about his influence in this area, St. Brown can’t help but crack a smile.
“I think it’s contagious,” he said. “If you’re a receiver, you’ve got one guy blocking his ass off, (so) you’re going to block your ass off too. …That first run that Swift had, you watch all of us blocking, fans going crazy, giving us momentum early in the game. Those blocks that we provide down the field, those are the touchdown blocks. The line is going to take care of the front seven, but we get those DBs blocked up, those 6- or 7-yard runs turn into 80-yard touchdowns.”
As for Hockenson, he’s also making strides as a run blocker. He arrived to Detroit with the reputation of being a dual-threat tight end, but has struggled to be consistent in that facet of the game. This offseason, the team challenged him to get better, and the results from the Philadelphia game suggest he’s making progress.
Hockenson noted one of the biggest differences he’s had to overcome since entering the league — beyond being light for his position, weighing between 240-245 pounds — is that NFL defenders freelance more frequently, so it’s more difficult to anticipate their movements when trying to execute a block.
Hockenson’s approach to improvement has been two-fold but is led by film study. Working with offensive line coach Hank Fraley and offensive coordinator Ben Johnson, Hockenson has gained a better understanding of how to watch film from the perspective of a blocker, learning how individual assignments give away their tendencies on tape.
The young veteran has also spent more time this offseason working on his strength and flexibility, so that he can win the all-important leverage battles to take advantage of his improved positioning.
“I think that’s something I’ve prided myself in is being a three-down tight end,” Hockenson said. “Last year, I had a couple of situations where I was blocking some big guys and trying to figure it out. That was my whole mentality this offseason was make that an emphasis, being able to block those guys, block these D-ends in the league and understanding their leverage and what they’re trying to do.
“…I don’t just want to be a receiving tight end in this league.”
The overall commitment to blocking across the roster is paying dividends both on the field and off. The effort especially resonates in the offensive line room.
“It fires us up,” offensive line coach Hank Fraley said. “I know it fires me up in the room, and I make sure our guys point it out, and pat ’em on the back. We love it when they’re running over a guy, or even hitting.
“To see those guys go do it and give the effort, they might not win that matchup, but they’ll go do it, we love it,” Fraley said.
jdrogers@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @Justin_Rogers