If you asked any one of the Detroit Lions' opponents this season which player they fear the most, there's a very good chance they all say Jahmyr Gibbs.
The superstar running back, who just got locked down for a few more years with the Lions with a record-setting extension, is set to hit the ground literally running in his fourth season in the league. He's expected to bear the brunt of the Lions' running game duties with David Montgomery no longer with the team, and he sounds fully prepared to do so.
"I guess I'm getting most of the carries...I feel good. It's nothing I haven't done before. It's going to be cool."
Gibbs is getting the most attention from Saints ahead of Week 1
That new reality - Gibbs getting most of the carries, and likely becoming even more integrated with the Lions' passing game - is already putting some fear into the New Orleans Saints ahead of Week 1. Saints safety Justin Reid told reporters after a practice this week:
"Good offenses can win in different ways, right? The same way that defenses can win in different ways. So, knowing where Jahmyr is one of the focal points of what we want to be able to do. If you spent all your resources on that, then you don't have any awareness of [Jameson] Williams, or Amon-Ra [St. Brown], or [Sam] LaPorta, you know? They have different ways that they can do it. We have a game plan that's pretty good. I'm really confident in what Coach Staley has put together for handling all of that. The keys to the game is, don’t let 0 run for 200 yards."
And, defensive coordinator Brandon Staley told reporters this week regarding Gibbs:
“He has the knockout punch, both in the running game and the passing game...his top speed is already faster than yours. So, that sucks."
Lions' offense already looking dynamic
As Reid and Staley mention, the Lions' offense headed by Gibbs is extremely dynamic, so tossing all of your resources behind stopping one player simply frees up the rest of the teams' weapons to go to work. Williams is a threat on the outside and St. Brown remains one of the best slot receivers in the NFL, while LaPorta is healthy ahead of Week 1 and ready to make his return as a blocker and pass catcher for Jared Goff.
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This isn't going to be an easy game by any means for Detroit. New Orleans' defense is strong despite not having Cam Jordan in this contest, so it'll be interesting to see the clash between that and Detroit looking to gain its footing on offense with a new coordinator in tow. Health should be on the Lions' side in this department, though, especially with their biggest weapons all available.
Gibbs' ability to go off in this one would be huge for Detroit in two ways: obviously, him having a good game often means the Lions are in the best position to win. But, if he's succesful on the ground, that means that the Lions' new-look offensive line is doing its job.
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