The Detroit Lions have one clear strength and one glaring weakness: They're great at putting up points, and not so much at stopping the other team from doing the same. Maybe it's by design, but it's also most likely a personnel thing.
Dan Campbell's offense is absolutely stacked. They have multiple Pro-Bowl-caliber playmakers, and with Jared Goff playing at an MVP level, they shouldn't have to ride with Jahmyr Gibbs as often as they've done through the first five games of the season.
Gibbs has been the team's most valuable asset by a significant margin, but even with no reliable backup, it shouldn't have to be that way. Hopefully, they'll dial back his usage and give him a breather after the Week 5 bye.
The Detroit Lions need to get Jahmyr Gibbs off the field
Gibbs is on pace for 449 total touches, including 357 rushing attempts. That would be the fifth-most total touches in a single season by any player (and the most since DeMarco Murray's 449 in 2014). He's also on pace for the fourth-most carries ever.
Over the first five games of the season, Gibbs has turned 105 carries into 504 rushing yards and 7 touchdowns, averaging 4.8 yards per carry. He also has 27 receptions for 243 yards and a couple of scores.
While those numbers are impressive, even with Kenneth Walker III and Bijan Robinson also putting up video game-like usage and stats, this is a long season with ebbs and flows, and they need their superstar running back healthy for when it matters the most.
Gibbs has never been a workhorse. Even last season, he still had David Montgomery to take some carries from him and keep him fresh and healthy. His breakaway speed and twitchiness are more effective when the defense is worn out; he's not a bruiser.
Unlike most teams that have to rely on their running game almost exclusively, the Lions have other weapons to keep the offense ahead of the sticks. Even if they don't trust Sione Vaki, still don't have Isiah Pacheco, and don't want to add more help at the position, they have a top-tier passing game.
Drew Petzing has proven to be a crafty and creative offensive coordinator. Maybe Jameson Williams can ease some of the burden with some touches in the Deebo Samuel role? Or why not lean on Amon-Ra St. Brown's quick twitch out of the slot? Or in Sam LaPorta's YAC ability?
The Lions can have the league's leading offense, but there's not much to brag about in Week 6. They don't need Gibbs to go off for 150 yards from scrimmage in October; they need him to do that in January.
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