Wherever running back Jahmyr Gibbs goes, the Detroit Lions will follow. In a Lions season where little makes sense, one indicator of how a game will go has emerged: Did Gibbs score a touchdown?
The Lions are currently 8-0 this season when Gibbs scores a TD, and 0-5 when he doesn't.
The solution to the Lions' current season woes sounds simple. Give Gibbs the ball, and do everything possible to get him in the endzone. Throwing him over the line, if necessary. However, that's been easier said than done as both Gibbs and the Lions are currently on an inconsistent stretch in the past six games.
Gibbs and the Lions have struggled to put together a great back-to-back
Entering the bye week, the Lions were coming off a big win against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers led by Gibbs and the "Legion of Whom." Gibbs accounted for 218 yards from scrimmage and two scores in the 24-9 victory. After the bye week? 28 yards from scrimmage and zero scores in a 27-24 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Rough game out of Gibbs, but he would rebound against the Washington Commanders with 172 yards from scrimmage and three scores in the Lions' 44-22 victory. Back on track, right? Sadly, no. In the Lions' embarrassing 16-9 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Gibbs was Jared Goff's only reliable receiver, amassing 107 receiving yards. He only managed 39 yards on the ground and was unable to score in a game where the Lions desperately needed it.
In the Lions' thrilling overtime victory against the New York Giants the following week, Gibbs was back to his usual self, with a staggering 264 yards from scrimmage and three scores. Gibbs then followed that up with just 86 yards in the Thanksgiving loss against the Green Bay Packers. Gibbs made it back to the endzone the following week with a three-score effort against the Dallas Cowboys.
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If this recent pattern holds, Gibbs will not see the endzone on Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams, and the Lions will fall against Goff's former team, potentially dooming the 2025 campaign. But at least he'll have a great game against the Pittsburgh Steelers the following week!
In a vacuum, Gibbs has been playing phenomenal football, and it would be wrong to blame him for the team's overall failings. At the same time, the team has not proven it can win during a down week for Gibbs. The Lions cannot afford another underwhelming performance out of the running game on Sunday or in the waning weeks of the season.
To save the season, and possibly go on a Super Bowl run, both Gibbs and the rest of the Lions will need to do something they haven't done in months -- string together back-to-back great performances. It's not too late to go on a run, but that run needs to have already begun with the Cowboys game. If not, it may be inconsistency, and not injuries, that were the true culprit for this lost season.