With David Montgomery back, how should the Detroit Lions handle their backfield with a red-hot Jahmyr Gibs?
This week, the Detroit Lions are expected to get running back David Montgomery back, and according to the veteran player, he’s not going to be physically limited in any way . Montgomery has missed the past three games with a torn MCL, leaving the bulk of the workload to second-year back Jahmyr Gibbs.
Gibbs has taken the opportunity and quite literally ran with it. In those three games, Gibbs has rushed for a total of 365 yards—with at least 100 in each game. Combined with his receiving production, Gibbs contributed 487 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns over that three-game stretch.
That begs the question: has Gibbs earned a higher share of the workload even with Montgomery back in the lineup? Today’s Question of the Day is:
How should the Lions split playtime between Gibbs and Montgomery?
My answer: First, let’s look at how their workload was balanced prior to these three games. Through 14 games, Gibbs had a total of 186 rushes and 39 catches. Montgomery had 185 rushes and 36 catches. That’s about as identical as you can get. Playtime, however, has been a little more slanted toward Gibbs. He had 512 offensive snaps prior to Montgomery’s injury, while Montgomery had just 390.
In terms of efficiency with their touches, on the surface it looks like Gibbs is the way better back. He’s averaging 5.6 yards per carry to Montgomery’s 4.2. But when you dig a little deeper, you see Montgomery’s larger value. For example, using success rate as an efficiency metric makes Montgomery look like the more helpful back. Per NFL Pro, Montgomery has a “successful” run 49.2% of the time (second among all RBs), while Gibbs is at 45.2% (sixth). The difference here is that Montgomery is an excellent third down and goal line weapon, while Gibbs is a little more boom or bust. His explosive plays skew the data a bit when it comes to yards per carry, but those explosive plays carry a ton of value and there’s no doubt Gibbs is the bigger threat to produce them.
So, in my opinion, I don’t think the Lions should change much at all from what they were doing prior to Montgomery’s injury. He also sets a tone and helps physically wear down a defense, while Gibbs can take his 15-20 touches a game and turn a third of them into explosive plays. It’s a formula that has worked all season. Why change it now?