Kerryon Johnson 'Stoked' to Get More Carries Last Week

Playing the "hot hand."

It's the way the Lions are going to continue to go about their business, when it comes to handling the amount of carries that D'Andre Swift, Adrian Peterson and Kerryon Johnson each will receive on a weekly basis as part of Detroit's backfield.

The backs subsequently don't know how much they're going to be featured on a given Sunday until the flow of the game is developed.

Johnson has been the back most negatively affected by the Lions' hot hand approach.

With Peterson and Swift predominantly obtaining the team's carries at the beginning of the game, they, as a result, often have the chance to prove they're "hot" before Johnson even gets his hands on the ball.

Through eight games in 2020, Johnson, a third-year pro, hasn't exceeded more than eight carries in a single game.

He also recorded two consecutive weeks -- Weeks 7 and 8 against the Atlanta Falcons and Indianapolis Colts, respectively -- where he didn't log a single touch as a ball-carrier.

His last rushing touchdown on the season -- also his only one -- came back in Week 2 against the Green Bay Packers.

The Auburn product has basically morphed into a blocking back -- and a good one at that.

Although he's more than embraced the role by this juncture in the campaign, he still enjoys when he gets the chance to touch the pigskin, such as this past Sunday when he amassed 29 yards on four carries. He also caught a season-high three balls for 36 yards.

"Last week was pretty fun. Getting to run the ball again was very nice," Johnson commented during a video conference with Detroit media Wednesday. "So, I was pretty stoked about that. But, week-to-week, I just prepare like any other time, like last year, the year before when I was expected to run the ball, you know, a lot by myself. That's the way I go through practice. So, I take every run seriously in practice. And that's the only way you can stay ready for when you actually get the ball in the game."

It's clearly no longer the "Johnson Show" in Motown, however.

Swift and Peterson have both jumped him on the team's running backs depth chart.

So, it is tough for Johnson to get into a rhythm at times, when he does actually get the opportunity to run the football.

He, however, is not going to complain about it. He's more than fine with offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell rolling with the hot hand, no matter who that back may be during a given week.

"One thing our room, we tell this to each other all the time and (running backs coach) Kyle (Caskey) gives his blessing to this, as well, but if you're hot, we're going to let you roll," Johnson explained. "So, if one of us gets the hot hand (and performs) to the best of our abilities, depending on play calls and things like that, we're going to try to keep that guy in."

Alex Smith set to start for Washington

The Lions will square off with the Washington Football Team this Sunday at Ford Field.

And when they do, they'll be facing a team featuring veteran quarterback Alex Smith under center.

The Week 10 contest will mark Smith's first start as an NFL passer since Nov. 18, 2018, when he suffered an extremely gruesome injury to his right leg in a game against the Houston Texans.

The injury nearly ended his career, and it also almost led to his leg having to be amputated, as a result of it being infected with a flesh-eating bacteria.

Needless to say, it's been a long road to recovery and to returning to the football field for Smith.

Johnson finds what Smith has gone through to return to game action as being an "admirable" achievement.

"He's a way better man than I am, because there's no absolute, 100-percent way that I'm stepping back on a football field at the quarterback position, where I can get blindside hit, rolled up on or anything like that, with what he went through," Johnson said. "That is absolutely tremendous. It's admirable. It's a little crazy. But, I mean, he really loves the game clearly. And he's doing what he can do to keep playing. And I give all my props to him for sure."

More from SI All Lions:

Matt Patricia Discusses Play of Lions' Linebackers on Roster

2020 Lions' Midseason Grades

Did Detroit Lions Blow 2020 NFL Draft by Not Drafting a Quarterback

Cory Undlin: 'I Failed the Players'

Don't Count Out Matthew Stafford Just Yet

Lions-Vikings Recap: Who's in Penthouse, Who's in Doghouse?

Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @DetroitPodcast.