The Detroit Lions are in the middle of a crowded NFC North race and need a strong finish to the regular season to make the playoffs. The loss to the Green Bay Packers leaves the Lions in a tough spot, needing to ascend to another level in the coming weeks.
The Lions are 3-4 in their past seven games, and with winning getting tougher as the season progresses, Detroit has started to lean on a very obvious formula: Jahmyr Gibbs.
What was once a dominant backfield duo with Gibbs and David Montgomery has now become the Gibbs show. Outside of a tough afternoon against Green Bay, the veteran running back is delivering for Detroit, but it's worth asking if the team's decision to give him so many touches is hurting the balance in the run game.
Lions giving Jahmyr Gibbs a heavy workload could hurt the team in the long run
Gibbs and Montgomery usually get around the same number of touches in a given game — a number in the mid-teens for both. However, in Detroit's last three games, the split hasn't been so equal. In Weeks 11-13, Gibbs had a combined 47 rushes and 19 receptions.
Montgomery, on the other hand, had 19 rushes and six receptions. That's a difference of 41 total touches, which isn't usually the case.
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While it's hard to question the strategy, since Gibbs carried the Lions to an overtime victory with 264 total yards and three touchdowns a little over a week ago against the New York Giants, it is fair to ask if Detroit should keep this up moving forward.
Gibbs is a difference-maker, but Montgomery can wear down defenses and make life even easier for his teammate. He averaged 4.0 yards per carry to Gibbs' 3.4 against the Packers, while also finding the end zone. A healthier balance could've helped the entire run game reach a higher level.
Detroit has the privilege of having two really good running backs, which means it could lean on both, keeping them relatively fresh. That would give the Lions an advantage, as Gibbs and Montgomery could take turns dominating defenses, as they have in the past.
For whatever reason, Dan Campbell and Detroit have strayed away from that, and they must hope that it doesn't backfire on them.