The Lions got exactly what they wanted from Jahmyr Gibbs in Week 1: a featured back carrying the offense and piling up yards. What they didn’t get was any real sign that Detroit has a trustworthy answer behind him.
With David Montgomery traded in March, the path was cleared for Gibbs to take over as the clear No. 1 in the backfield. Dan Campbell made that plain when he called him the bell cow, and the new contract that followed only reinforced the message.
Against the New Orleans Saints, Gibbs looked the part. He played 74 percent of the snaps, which was the fifth-highest snap share of his career, and posted career highs in carries with 29 and touches with 34 while finishing with 186 yards from scrimmage.
Campbell’s tone after the game was a little more measured. He pointed to Gibbs’ condition and said, "we did what we had to do today" while also making clear he doesn’t want to "set records" for carries.
That’s the tension here. Gibbs can handle a heavy load, and on this day he did.
But 29 carries is probably not a number Detroit wants to chase very often, and it may end up being his season high. The bigger concern is what happens when he needs a breather.
Right now, the options behind him do not look ready.
Sione Vaki’s overall showing didn’t inspire much confidence, and Jacob Saylors never got an offensive snap. Based on that, there doesn’t appear to be a dependable RB2 plan in place. Isiah Pacheco will miss three more games on IR, and the sooner he’s back, the better chance the Lions have of getting something meaningful behind Gibbs.
Gibbs, for his part, said what most players say in that spot. Asked about the workload, he answered with a simple, "I'm good, I'm fine." ESPN’s Eric Woodyard reported that the highest-paid running back in the league has "no concerns" about the extra carries in Week 1.
Even so, the full picture matters. Gibbs logged five carries and six touches on Detroit’s 10-play game-winning touchdown drive in overtime. Strip that out, and the line still looks heavy, just a little less extreme: 24 carries and 28 touches.
That’s still a lot, and it’s hard to see that kind of weekly burden lasting if the Lions want Gibbs fresh and effective all season. The volume was expected.
The confidence from Gibbs was expected, too. What wasn’t there in Week 1 was a convincing backup plan.
That becomes a bigger issue in Week 2 against the Buffalo Bills on a short week. Detroit is going to have to manage Gibbs better, and maybe, just maybe, more of Saylors can help solve the problem.
In Other News...
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The challenge now is making that edge a weekly identity instead of a promising flash. Detroit still has work to do in the secondary, and the pass rush will not always get to feast the way it did in the opener. But if the Lions can keep forcing quarterbacks off their spots while the back end tightens up, they may have found the kind of defensive formula that changes the tone of their season. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Rookie Roles Suddenly Matter More Than Fans Realized
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Not every rookie looked ready for a bigger bite of the playbook, though, and Keith Abney II had a tougher time when his defensive snaps came up. Skyler Gill-Howard also got a first taste of real action, and the varied workload is exactly why these early weeks matter for the Lions, who are tracking which newcomers can handle more responsibility as the season moves along. [Read more 🡒]