Lions Coach Reveals Why RB's Likely 'Hate' Watching Film With Him

Detroit Lions running backs coach is challenging elite unit.

Detroit Lions running backs coach Tashard Rice, right, celebrates with running back David Montgomery (5) | Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions have one of the top running back tandems in the National Football League.

Even though Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have enjoyed success playing together, their new running backs coach is not going to allow them to just sit back and rest on their laurel's.

Choice spoke to reporters before practice on Friday and shared why film sessions are important to remind players they must continue to meet the team's standards.

“When we watch film, they probably hate watching film with me. They know. After D-Mo scored his touchdown, he had bad ball security. The first thing he said was, ‘Coach, don’t get on me on my ball security.’ ‘Damn right, I am. That’s part of the game. We’ve gotta protect the football.’ So, for me, I’m okay at being that guy," said Choice, via the team's social media channel. "I have to be that guy.

"When you have guys who are really, really good football players that want to be great, because they want to be coached to be great," Choice added. "Great players want to be coached at all times, even when they do well. I have to watch myself, because I don’t want to be a negative Nancy, but I have to be. I try to find stuff to critique them and get on their nerves about.”

If both score a touchdown against the Chiefs on Sunday Night Football, it would be the 15th occasions the duo has scored a touchdown in the same game, which would be a new NFL record.

Importance of blocking

Both Gibbs and Montgomery take pride in being able to contribute in a variety of ways. Part of the reason Jared Goff is off to a great start has been the blocking efforts of each members of the offense, including the running backs unit.

Choice expressed that protecting the quarterback is one of the "laws of the jungle."

"Animal. I love how they run, but when they put their face on somebody, that’s everything, because protecting the quarterback -- I’ve got laws of the jungle," Choice explained to reporters. "First one is protecting the football. Second one is protecting the quarterback. J.G. is everything to him.

"How you show respect for him as a running back, because you get so much praise for running the football, when you block, when you put your face on people and you do it over and over again, it gets me riled up. I may get more excited for that as they get scoring a touchdown, because that’s the selflessness.”