The best way to take pressure off of a rookie QB is to run the ball well.  That means that Kevin Smith needs to step up for the Lions.  Smith has carried the ball 39 times for 103 yards (2.6 ypc) with 1 TD run.  He has also caught 9 passes for 62 yards (6.9 avg) out of the backfield.  Teams are ganging up on Smith to force Stafford to pass the ball and that has hurt the Lions’ O.  They need Smith to get the running game going and they might have some success this week against the Redskins but they have to stick with the running game and not abandon it if they fall behind.