The Detroit Lions struggled offensively in Week 9, but they left those problems firmly in the rear-view mirror against the Washington Commanders in Week 10.
After struggling uncharacteristically against the Minnesota Vikings, the Lions were up to their old tricks against the Commanders. Clearly motivated by not only last week's collapse but last season's playoff loss, the Lions broke free in a big way, piling up 546 total yards in a 44-22 romp.
While there were several standout performances on the afternoon, it was hard to ignore running back Jahmyr Gibbs as the best. From the first drive, Gibbs was all over the place, slashing and crashing his way to a fantastic three touchdown, 172 total yard performance. He was the true leader of the offense.
After being shut down by the Vikings to the tune of nine carries for 25 yards and just three receptions, Gibbs was furious, and Dan Campbell wanted to tap into the frustration. He saw a motivated player all week in practice, and then proceeded to feed him to the team's benefit.
"He had a chip on his shoulder. Nobody was more upset about last week than he was. He wanted to make things right and we also wanted to get him more involved in all areas. The run game, the pass game, mix it up a little bit. He was ready to go. That was a bad taste in his mouth like it was (for) all of us last week. It was a hard loss."
Gibbs took his worst day in a Lions uniform and channeled it into his best. It isn't a stretch to say his ability to make plays all over the field was what unlocked the Lions in Washington. Hopefully, Detroit found something with Gibbs and continues to use him to their advantage.
Gibbs powerfully making his case as the top young running back in football
Gibbs bursting on the scene in this game was a welcome sight for the Lions, who needed him to rejuvenate a stagnant offense. This season, Gibbs had been hit or miss for Detroit, who had endured games where he had completely disappeared or had been ignored.
Not feeding the ball to Gibbs is unacceptable, because he has already stated his case as perhaps the top young running back in football. Over the past three seasons, he has piled up statistics which help prove this point.
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Gibbs has fantastic company, being one of only four players to post 40 or more scrimmage touchdowns before turning 24 years old. The other names? Barry Sanders, Randy Moss, Emmitt Smith and Jim Brown.
Some good company for Jahmyr Gibbs 🙌 pic.twitter.com/w83SeTA3ek
— NFL (@NFL) November 10, 2025
There's simply no way a player of Gibbs' caliber shouldn't be seeing double-digit touches and looks in the passing game every single week. His speed is a huge advantage, and he's been a walking big play since coming into the NFL. Credit Campbell for tapping into this and allowing him to showcase his potential.
With Gibbs stepping up and delivering arguably his best game as a pro, the sky has become the limit for the Detroit offense. Campbell has taken on a bigger responsibility with regards to play calling, and the more he continues to emphasize a star like Gibbs, the better the Lions will be.