Jahmyr Gibbs On Pace For 470 Touches As Lions Lean Heavily On Star Running Back

Jahmyr Gibbs’ Heavy Lions Workload Projects To 470 Touches© Instagram

Jahmyr Gibbs touched the ball 34 times against Green Bay on Sunday. Detroit needed nearly every bit of it in a 20-17 win that ended with Jake Bates kicking the deciding field goal as time expired.

The workload pushed Gibbs to 166 touches through the Lions' first six games: 134 carries and 32 receptions. Keep that rate over a full season and he would finish with roughly 470. Detroit came out of its bye week and immediately put the ball back in his hands, with 29 rushing attempts and five catches against the Packers.

Montgomery's Departure Changed Detroit's Backfield

A larger role was always coming. David Montgomery's offseason trade to Houston ended the partnership that had allowed Detroit to divide so much of its rushing work between two established backs.

“He's going to be our bell cow now,” Dan Campbell said in June.

The Lions signed Isiah Pacheco to complement Gibbs, but that plan took a hit when Pacheco needed back surgery in September. Campbell said then that the former Chiefs runner would miss a significant amount of time. Gibbs finished last season with 243 carries and 77 receptions. His receiving work had already grown considerably from the 52 catches he recorded in each of his first two years. This season's pace would take his combined workload well beyond those previous totals.

He had 182 carries as a rookie, followed by 250 the next season.

Sunday brought 116 rushing yards and another 27 through the air. It also brought a reminder that even an afternoon without a touchdown can involve an enormous amount of work.

Gibbs Helps Finish Off Packers Despite Late Scare

Gibbs played 90 percent of Detroit's offensive snaps against Green Bay, according to the postgame snap-count breakdown. With neither team getting clear, the Lions kept returning to their most dependable running back.

He had a chance to reach the end zone on the final possession but stopped after securing a first down, helping Detroit drain the clock before Bates' 22-yard winner.The finish briefly caused some alarm. Gibbs went down awkwardly and was slow getting up, though Campbell said afterward that he had been checked and should be fine.

“It did (hurt) at first, but it went away, though,” Gibbs said.Detroit improved to 4-2 with the victory. Jared Goff threw both touchdown passes to Jameson Williams, while Amon-Ra St. Brown caught nine balls for 153 yards. Gibbs supplied the running game in between, staying involved until the final drive.