The Detroit Lions may have the best running back in the league right now. Jahmyr Gibbs has been a one-man show for Drew Petzing's offense, and outside of a rare off night vs. the Carolina Panthers, he's dominated weekly.
However, as much as it's been a joy to watch him dominate before the bye week, the reality is that the Lions need someone else to trust. They might be wearing him down, and Sione Vaki or anyone else on the roster doesn't actually move the needle.
That's why, as much as he's struggling to get anything going with the Houston Texans, the Lions might be having second thoughts about letting David Montgomery go. At least Gibbs wouldn't have to do all of the heavy lifting with him in the building.
Lions might regret moving on from David Montgomery
To be fair, it's not like the Lions wanted to part ways with Montgomery. He was frustrated about his diminished role and thought it would be better for him to play elsewhere. Otherwise, he'd probably still be in Detroit.
Fast forward to today, and it's safe to say that the gamble hasn't necessarily paid off. The Texans' running game has been terrible as a whole, though Montgomery has also played a big part in those struggles.
To put it in context, the Texans have amassed a grand total of 395 rushing yards and 5 touchdowns on 117 attempts over five games. That's 3.4 yards per carry, with Montgomery logging 52 totes for 138 yards and two scores.
Gibbs alone has rushed for 504 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns on 105 attempts (4.8 yards per carry), adding 243 receiving yards and 2 receiving touchdowns. The usage is alarming, but even with one bad game, he's still No. 4 in total rushing yards.
The Lions wanted to move on from the committee and the "Sonic & Knuckles" era to put the ball in Gibbs' hands, which made sense to a degree, more so if they planned to make him the highest-paid running back in the game.
However, they certainly weren't counting on Montgomery's replacement missing at least 12 weeks due to injuries. Isiah Pacheco hasn't made his debut, and it wouldn't be much of a surprise to see him be a non-factor once he's finally cleared to play.
At the end of the day, this worked out pretty well for Gibbs now, but who's to say how much of a toll this wear and tear can take on his body? This is one of the most taxing positions in team sports, and the Lions probably could've extended his career by keeping his sidekick around a little longer.
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