After missing a total of 18 regular season games and one playoff game, Detroit Lions running back Mikel Leshoure made the most of his NFL debut Sunday.
Leshoure carried the load for the Detroit rushing attack, running for 100 yards and one touchdown on 26 carries. He also added 34 yards on four receptions. Leshoure is the first Lions rusher to run for 100 yards in his NFL debut since Billy Sims did it in 1980.
Leshoure was excited about his productive debut but, writes Chris McCosky of the Detroit News, he remained humble, focusing on the team instead of the individual.
"It felt good to be out there getting my feet wet...But the 100 yards isn't the result we wanted. The more important result was a win and we didn't get that."
Leshoure was drafted by the Lions in the second round of the 2011 NFL Draft out of the University of Illinois, but missed the entire season with an Achilles injury he suffered in training camp. He missed the first two games of this season with suspension after violating the league's substance-abuse policy.
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