After averaging 8.2 yards per carry in the first half, the San Francisco 49ers new addition DuJuan Harris only carried the ball twice in the second half for -1 yard. This was a drastic change from his 9 carries for 74 yards that propelled the offense to scoring a surprising 17 points in the first half, the most points the team has scored in the first half all season. They have only scored 17 points in the first half one other time in 2015, in week 9 vs. the Falcons.
In head coach Jim Tomsula's Monday morning press conference, he mentioned that in Cleveland, he wanted to get the offense started fast, throwing the ball down field, but now has deemed it a mistake:
That's not how we're built right now. That's a 'Jimbo.'
The question is: Why was the game plan in the second half to throw the ball? Out of 20 plays run by the offense, only 3 were run plays. They were only behind 6 points when they had their first possession of the 2nd half, so yes, playing from behind a bit, but not enough to all but abandon the run game. When asked, Tomsula mentioned that teaching Harris all of the protections in a week is a huge thing.
After the game, Harris spoke with the media:
How many plays did you know going into the game today?
I knew a handful. I knew almost everything that was going in but you know it's just I don't have more experience than other guys, you know? And if I do something wrong, [it] could get somebody injured, but I'm ready to go, I got the plays down, its just you know, how the game went.
Did getting behind by a bit take you out of the game, going to the passing game?
A little bit, yeah.
Did you see something different from Detroit defensively in the second half to take away those lanes?
Not really, the OL was doing a great job up front, so what ever they tried to do, we still found some lanes. All the guys ran the ball pretty well tonight.
Was it because you were playing from behind in the second half, you came out in the third throwing the ball.
It's a tough game. Sometimes when things go a certain way it's tough to play some of the plays that you want and do some of the plays that you want to do.
What kind of opportunity do you see here for you?
Um, I got through this week. You know, I had a long, long season man. I got through this week, so now I gotta focus on next week and just take it one day at a time.
You rotated in and out with Jarryd Hayne, what did you see from him?
He did great, you know, he ran hard. He really did. He ran hard, man.
There's something to be said for having fresh legs at week 16. Did you feel like your legs were fresher?
I'm fresh for here, fresh for here. I've been all over the place. I've been on planes going all across the country and everything else you know? I should be a lot more exhausted than I am now.
You did seem to do really well in tight spaces, where the Lions seemed to be closing in on you and you were able to make a move and get through.
I'm 5'7 even. Those are some huge guys on the field so I hide behind the offensive line [as] best I can and maybe use a referee if I've got to. You know, I just use my size, my size and quickness.
You're not 5'6 and 3/4?
No, I'm at 7. My license says 5'6, I thought it said 5'8 for years. I looked real close and it's a 6. It bothered me a little bit.
You seem to hit the hole pretty hard, is it more instinct or learned?
They opened the hole. You can't get too surprised. You gotta run, that's all offensive line, it's nothing on me.
You knew that this offensive has struggled and then this opening drive was kind of a juggernaut. Did you think, they got a good thing going here?
I already knew they had a good team. Like I said before, it's a tough game. Some tams, they scheme on you right away. and it might look like you're not too good but it's the NFL. Everyone here can play.