Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

Reggie Bush played more snaps than Joique Bell for the first time this year

Cornelius Lucas and Garrett Reynolds continue to split snaps at right tackle

Is Eric Ebron destined to be a bit player for the Lions this year%3F

They wanted to jump-start their running game, and by making one simple change -- playing Reggie Bush more -- they did.

Bush played 37 snaps, or 49% of the offensive plays, as the Detroit Lions set season-highs for rushing yards (115) and attempts (38) in Sunday's 19-7 ball-control victory over the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field.

That marked the first time in three games this year that Bush played more than his co-starter at running back, Joique Bell, who was on the field for 36 snaps (48 percent) of the Lions' 75 offensive plays.

"He did a great job," Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said of Bush. "He was great in the passing game, really good in the running game. He was ball-secure, it was awesome. He's a guy that creates matchup issues, and when we get him space, he's electric and he showed that tonight. I'm just happy for him. Didn't get as many touches as he's probably accustomed to in the first two games, but he came out tonight with some fire and made every one of those touches count."

Bush, whom the Lions signed to a four-year, $16-million deal last off-season, had just 15 carries and 23 offensive touches in the first two weeks. The Lions failed to rush for more than 76 yards in either game.

Against the Packers, Bush had 12 carries for 61 yards, caught six passes for 38 yards and scored the game-clinching touchdown on a 25-yard fourth-quarter run. The Lions had 115 rushing yards as a team.

Bush and Bell have distinct roles on offense. Bush is best in space on the perimeter of the field and often lines up as a slot receiver. Bell is a better between-the-tackles runner, and six of his game-high 15 carries came on the final series Sunday, with the Lions trying to kill the last 6:54 off the clock.

Though Bell gained more than 3 yards on just two of those fourth-quarter carries, his 4-yard run on third-and-4 just before the 2-minute warning allowed the Lions to end the game by kneeling on the ball.

With one of the best run defenses in the NFL on tap this week in the New York Jets, it will be interesting to see how the Lions divvy up their running back snaps going forward.

More snap-count notes from Sunday:

• Veteran Garrett Reynolds made his second straight start at right tackle, but undrafted rookie Cornelius Lucas got more playing time (40 snaps to Reynolds' 35). Neither player was particularly good in pass protection -- Lucas got a minus-2 rating from Pro Football Focus for the game, second-worst on offense, behind Bell (minus-2.1) -- but the Lions used the bigger, more physical Lucas for the final series, when they were trying to salt away the game.

• Five offensive players played every snap for the Lions: Stafford and linemen Riley Reiff, Rob Sims, Dominic Raiola and Larry Warford. Calvin Johnson continues to some rest throughout the game. After playing about 85% of the Lions' first two games, Johnson played 57 snaps Sunday (a season-low 76% playtime). He missed a few plays in the fourth quarter with an ankle injury he said is nothing to be concerned about.

• At tight end, first-round pick Eric Ebron continues to be a bit player on offense for now. Ebron played just 23 snaps, fewer than Brandon Pettigrew (49) and Joseph Fauria (25).

• For an offense that's supposed to be tight end-centric, the Lions sure aren't using the trio a lot in the passing game. Pettigrew, Fauria and Ebron combined for just four targets, one catch and 3 receiving yards Sunday.

• On defense, five players got 100% playtime Sunday: DeAndre Levy, Glover Quin, Darius Slay, Rashean Mathis and Isa Abdul-Quddus. Stephen Tulloch's day was cut short after 11 snaps, and Tahir Whitehead played the other 42 plays as the Lions used their base defense just one time.

• Don Carey, the other injured Lions defender, played two defensive snaps and five on special teams before leaving with a hamstring injury. Danny Gorrer (40 snaps) and Mohammed Seisay (10) split the nickel duties after Carey left.

• One Packers snap-count note: Clay Matthews, Green Bay's best pass rusher, was limited to just 44 plays, or 59% playtime, after he left the game in the second half with a hamstring injury.

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.