Thunder and Lightning: How the Detroit Lions Backfield Has Found Its Perfect Storm
The days of having a running back committee have come and gone in the NFL, but one team has kept the strategy, and they are using it to absolute perfection. When the Detroit Lions traded up in the 2023 NFL draft to select now-superstar RB Jahmyr Gibbs, Motor City natives and NFL analysts were shocked and confused as to why. Well, two years later, Gibbs is a part of the best backfield in the NFL. It was somewhat of a similar story when the Lions signed David Montgomery back in 2023, but this also helped form the most dynamic, close-to-unstoppable rushing attack in the league today. Here is why, and how, this power-and-speed halfback-tandem works so well. As the high production continues for the two backs, the beauty of this system is still going underrated.
The agility-filled Jahmyr Gibbs might just be the best tackle-evader in all of football, and his acceleration is up there with the fastest that the NFL has ever seen. His quick cuts and explosiveness jump off the screen, and it consistently gives defenses headaches, simply because once he is in the open field, there is no stopping the ex-Alabama superstar. Gibbs sees the field so well and uses that patience to his advantage. His game is extremely reminiscent of former 2,000-yard rusher Chris Johnson, as he can outrun anybody, but has the vision to let blocks develop and then absolutely take off. Gibbs is also a phenomenal pass-catcher out of the backfield.
In 2024, Gibbs scored 16 touchdowns, more than any other running back in the league. He also averaged just over five-and-a-half yards per carry, good for third amongst every single runner who touched the ball last season. He is a threat at all times and can break off a huge run at any point in the game. He is utilized primarily on second and third down, where his versatility and explosiveness can be used to their fullest, and also because Detroit has the best early-down back in football.
David Montgomery will beat you down with three-yard carries after three-yard carries, setting his team up beautifully for second or third down, and he also might be the top red-zone back in the NFL. Montgomery has the power of a linebacker, and he uses it extraordinarily well, bulldozing his way through tacklers and shaking off defensive backs like they are little kids. He is an old-fashioned running back, a bruiser, and a guy who takes care of the football extremely well. He understands his role exactly, which is to chip away at defenses and score touchdowns on runs inside the 10-yard line. Montgomery also has a lethal stiff-arm, something he breaks out on occasion if he gets the opportunity to run on an outside-zone play.
Another key thing to realize here is that Gibbs and Montgomery’s production does not take a dip even though they are sharing the backfield. As mentioned previously, Gibbs’ 16 TDs ranked first in the NFL, but Montgomery also had 12 himself. This Lions scheme has beautifully architected a forgotten part of football, and it is an amazing thing to see. As Detroit gears up for another deep playoff run, this two-headed monster in Gibbs and Montgomery is primed to once again wreak havoc on opposing defenses.
