Days before the NFL season started, Detroit offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said, “We might use Gibbs in some ways that people might not expect.” I’m still waiting to see that four weeks into the season. So far, the rookie has had some success, compiling 179 yards on 39 carries and 70 yards on 14 receptions. His best performance came in Week 3 (82 scrimmage yards on 18 touches) when Gibbs replaced David Montgomery as the starter while the veteran battled an injury. Montgomery has handled a majority of the workload out of the backfield, and while both playmakers are effective with the ball in their hands, Montgomery can better protect Jared Goff. It’s not that Gibbs can’t do it, but he’s still getting acclimated to the NFL and I would imagine Montgomery is the more confident player when it comes to stepping up and stonewalling a defender in the pocket.
That said, Gibbs should be getting used in more creative ways. Through four games, Gibbs has taken 73.5 percent of his snaps in the backfield, just 15.7 percent aligned in the slot and 11.5 percent out wide, per Pro Football Focus. I don’t want to see the Lions get into the trend of letting a young running back come along slowly due to pass protection issues. He’s a home run hitter — 10 of his 39 carries have gone for 10-plus yards this season. Gibbs could give this offense a more explosive element in the short passing game if the Lions give him chances in the slot and out wide more often.
