Running with Purpose

 

Three words that describe Khiry Robinson's running style: focused, hard and destructive.

When Saints running back Mark Ingram went down with a hand injury in week two, a humble and steadfast Khiry Robinson appeared all too eager to step out in the spotlight as the Saints second rusher. He has a vision like no other runner of his kind. Some might compare his talent with the style of some legendary running backs, but Robinson is a different breed. He's a hard runner who's tough to tackle and his sense of direction can be annihilating to a defender’s career. Plainly put, Khiry Robinson can burst through a defensive blockade tagging along defenders with him to gain extra yardage.

The way he plays, you sense that he always has something to prove. As if someone is constantly telling him, "No, you can't,” before every snap. If a bettor would sacrifice his life savings, it’s a sure bet that this underrated workhorse has the ability to carry the rushing load as the premiere back of the New Orleans Saints. #Tackleatyourownrisk. The hunger is always there. #FeedHim.

The fortunate thing for starter, Pierre Thomas is that his performance is consistently progressing.  Last week, Robinson and Thomas combined for more than 100 yards on the ground and two touchdowns to defeat the Bucs. This week with Ingram returning to the field, it will be interesting to see what Coach Payton will decide and whether Robinson will get a decent number of carries.

*For a look into Khiry Robinson's upbringing and his experiences and why Robinson's running with purpose, Check out the well written article in the Advocate by Ramon Antonio Vargas. 

The Saints running game won't be the only aspect on Sean Payton's mind while preparing for this Sunday's game against Detroit. The Lions also have their own destructive rushing tandem in former Saints, Reggie Bush and Joique Bell. Bush missed game six due to injury, but will be back against his former team. As for Bell, he too will certainly be a handful for the Saints to bring down. For Detroit, Joique Bell like Khiry Robinson, is a hard head-on runner. Not afraid to burst through gaps in the defense. Sunday's running game should be interesting.  Calvin Johnson is listed as questionable for Sunday's game. Hopefully a prayer will be answered by the football gods, that Megatron will not be playing. 
*As of Sunday morning, Calvin Johnson is seen warming up for pregame warm-ups. 

With that in mind, here are your       

              “Keys to the Game”

For the Offense:

         Play your game. Take control of the game early by playing your type of offense. Control the time of possession. Playing in enemy territory will be difficult and given the fact that the Saints haven’t played well on the road this season, they need to score early and often. They also need to minimize penalties that kill momentum.

     Mix it up. Don’t be afraid to pull something out of the old trick bag. Maybe a wildcat, flea-flicker or reverse. There just might be another quarterback who isn’t listed as a quarterback. Lions Head Coach, Jim Caldwell is an aggressive play caller and will try and rack up as many points as possible.

For the Defense:

Know your role. Just because their biggest weapon, Calvin Johnson is out don’t forget to execute. The Lions have plenty of weapons, especially in Reggie Bush. Bush will be eager to put on a show against his former team. The biggest threat at the receiver position is Golden Tate. Make sure Tate doesn’t get the winning score to end regulation or in Overtime. He is the other “Mr. Reliable”. Expect Matthew Stafford to target wide receiver, Jeremy Ross and Brandon Pettigrew. Shutting the running game will on both teams' agenda.

 
Stay alert. Keep your eyes open for unsuspected fumbles. A shocking thought is that six year tight end, Brandon Pettigrew has not produced the numbers as other veterans like Jimmy Graham or the Patriots Gronkowski. #kill’emkenny#32. Look for a mistake-prone Pettigrew to try and make something happen. #fumble#jackpot. Don’t let the big play catch you off guard. Golden Tate is a beast.

 Score Prediction: 31-28

 Saints

Ramon Humber  Out

Kyle Knox ankle Out

Patrick Robinson INACTIVE

Jimmy Graham  ACTIVE 

 Keenan Lewis Probable

Ronald Powell Probable

Pierre Thomas Probable

Jonathan Goodwin Probable

Mark Ingram  PLAYING

Erik Lorig  INACTIVE

 JOE MORGAN INACTIVE
Brandon Deaderick INACTIVE
 

Lions

Joseph Fauria Out

Travis Lewis Out

Eric Ebron  Doubtful

Theo Riddick doubtful

Calvin Johnson Questionable

Ezekiel Ansah Probable

 Reggie Bush ankle Probable

 Jeremy Ross Probable

                                                                                                                       Cheers,

                                                                                                                         SC

 

****please drink responsibly. Age 21 and older. Always choose a designated driver.