Led by Jamaal Williams and D'Andre Swift last season, the Lions put up their best rushing numbers since the days of Barry. Then they replaced the duo with David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs. A fair question: Was it really an upgrade? A better question: Was it enough of an upgrade to command such premium resources?
To the latter, we'll see. To the former ... a resounding yes after the first game of the season.
So file this under Week 1 overreactions. That's where everything belongs at this point in the year, including the undoing of Marvin Jones Jr. and the demise of Kadarius Toney. Here's betting both receivers bounce back. But first impressions can also be true. Here's betting Montgomery and Gibbs prove the Lions right.
They'll give the offense a gear it was missing. They'll make a good backfield great. And Gibbs, in particular, will live up to expectations as the No. 12 pick. He was a stumble away from scoring the first touchdown of the season, and still turned nine touches into 60 yards, thanks to forcing six missed tackles on seven carries. That is not normal production. Indeed, 6.7 yards per touch would have led NFL running backs last season. The leader, wouldn't you know, was Swift, at 6.3.
In Gibbs, Brad Holmes and the Lions saw a younger, faster, more explosive version of Swift, shipped to the Eagles for a future fourth-round pick the day after Gibbs' arrival. In Gibbs' debut, we saw a more physical version, too. He wasn't just elusive against the defending champs. He was unafraid, lowering his shoulder -- and keeping his feet -- at the end of a couple big runs in the first quarter. Swift, it seemed, found ways to avoid contact toward the end of his injury-marred tenure in Detroit.
The Lions wanted to re-sign Williams, the heartbeat of their team last season. When negotiations stalled, they prioritized Montgomery so as not to miss out on both. They secured him with a three-year, $18 million deal, a significant outlay for a running back and $6 million more than Williams got over the same number of years from the Saints.
Dan Campbell had always been a fan of Montgomery from afar, a true bellcow with a little more wiggle than Williams. He was sixth in the NFL in carries over his four years with the Bears, and he scored the go-ahead touchdown in his Lions debut by bursting through a hole, making a man miss and then plowing into the end zone. He sealed the game by powering his way for a first down on his 21st and final carry of the night.
Together, Montgomery and Gibbs put up 134 yards and a touchdown on 30 touches, or 4.5 yards per touch. Williams was bottled up by the Titans in his Saints debut, while Swift got two total touches in his Eagles debut. Together, they had 55 yards and no touchdowns on 22 touches, or 2.5 yards per touch. This is not to bury either back. Williams and Swift will have their moments this season, for the favorites in the NFC South and NFC East, respectively.
Montgomery and Gibbs have already produced one for the Lions, favorites in the NFC North.
The only running back drafted ahead of Gibbs this year was Bijan Robinson, eighth overall to the Falcons. The Lions could have drafted him sixth, before trading back to No. 12 and getting their guy all the same. Robinson was dynamic in his own NFL debut, turning 16 touches into 83 yards (5.2 average) and a touchdown in the Falcons' win over the Panthers. He and Gibbs will be compared to each other from this point forward.
"We liked both of those guys," Campbell said Monday. "We liked Bijan, too, man. But with where we were at, we got D-mo here, we just really felt like Gibbs fit what we needed perfectly. I just think it’s rare to have a guy that you really feel like, in due time, can be dynamic in the run and the pass game as a halfback. There’s so much versatility with him.
"So between that, he fits what we do perfectly and he has that potential to be dynamic in both areas of the offense, it was too good to turn down."
Gibbs is just getting started. His light workload last Thursday was part of the Lions' plan to ease him into action. That will change starting Sunday against the Seahawks, with Campbell making it clear that Gibbs has more touches coming his way. They don't have to force-feed him, because Montgomery is plenty capable as the Lions' lead rusher. Nor do they have to lean too heavily on Montgomery, because Gibbs is fueled up and ready to fly.
One game is one game, and the Chiefs, you might have heard, were missing their best defensive player. But the Lions won't be missing Williams and Swift, no knock on either. Detroit might even run into one of them in the playoffs. If so, it'll be Gibbs and Montgomery leading the way.