How two bold moves changed the Detroit Lions' trajectory
Within a span of seven weeks during the 2023 offseason, the Detroit Lions defined their path forward as a hard-charging, physical football team powered by its relentless ground attack. Marked by two major acquisitions, it was a transformational period that altered the trajectory of the franchise.
But as it unfolded in real time, some struggled to see the totality of what was taking place. They were quick to condemn, saying the team’s front office had invested too much capital to upgrade its backfield — overspending on a three-year, $18 million deal for David Montgomery in free agency and making a reckless overreach to draft Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick. The harsh judgments back then appeared to have been influenced by the prevailing trends in the NFL, a quarterback-driven league where passing was all the rage and running backs had been gradually devalued.
“Let’s face it,” Lions assistant head coach Scottie Montgomery said, “our organization does a lot of things other people don’t do.”
He delivered that comment two days before Gibbs, a 22-year-old human dynamo, led the Lions to a victory over the Minnesota Vikings in a winner-take-all showdown for the NFC North title, the conference’s top seed and home-field advantage in the playoffs. Gibbs supplied 170 scrimmage yards and scored all four of Detroit’s touchdowns that night, blazing a trail to the end zone before etching his name in the team’s record books. It was a masterful performance that reminded everyone the Lions’ success is rooted in their ability to control the line of scrimmage and run the damn ball.
“I just believe that’s where everything starts,” coach Dan Campbell said Monday, as the team readied to face the Washington Commanders in the NFC divisional round.
The ground game, he implied, is the life force of his team. It has given rise to the Lions’ vibrant play-action passing offense, which quarterback Jared Goff has launched on 37% of his 586 dropbacks.
It has helped sustain a depleted defense by reducing its workload, which is evidenced by the fact that Aaron Glenn’s unit was on the field for 1,016 plays — the fourth-lowest total in the NFL during the regular season.
It has invigorated the tenacious, take-no-prisoners mindset that permeates a locker room where its hard-nosed, full-throttle coach presides.
“I think it creates an attitude. I think it creates a style,” Campbell said.
Right tackle Penei Sewell agreed.
“It’s our identity at the end of the day,” he said.
That became abundantly clear during some of their most signature moments in a remarkable 15-win regular season.
There was the lasting image from the opening night victory against the Los Angeles Rams, when an exhausted opponent succumbed on the goal line in overtime as the Lions finished off a punishing eight-play, 70-yard touchdown drive that featured just one pass.
There was the climactic sequence in the final minute of a 34-31 victory over Green Bay in early December, when Montgomery surged forward for seven yards on fourth-and-short and set up the winning field goal as time expired.
And there was the second-half spurt against the Vikings in the most consequential game of the year, when Gibbs and Craig Reynolds took turns delivering blows to a weakening Minnesota front that surrendered 123 of the Lions’ 178 rushing yards in the final two quarters.
“It’s hard for opponents to deal with how physical we are, week in and week out,” Reynolds said.
Mike Nolan, the former longtime NFL defensive coordinator and current coach of the UFL’s Michigan Panthers, can imagine.
“If somebody’s punching you on every down, which is what a running game does, you want to take a knee,” he told the Free Press. “That can weigh heavy on a player’s mind.”
The Lions built their team to inflict this kind of damage. General manager Brad Holmes’ first-ever pick in 2021 was Sewell, a road-grading tackle who was inserted into an offensive line that already had a quality core. As the years have gone by, Holmes made sure that nucleus stayed together, signing Sewell, Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow and Taylor Decker, Goff’s blindside protector, to contract extensions. He also has lured guard Graham Glasgow back to Detroit before acquiring another, Kevin Zeitler, via free agency.
With each move, the organization’s priorities were reinforced.
“It’s just super valuable to have guys who can execute the run game at a high level,” Decker said.
Enter David Montgomery and Gibbs, the dynamic duo known to fans now as Sonic and Knuckles.
According to Spotrac, their contracts – which total almost $36 million combined – rank among the 15 most lucrative currently held by NFL running backs. Almost 5% of the Lions’ 2024 cap is apportioned to their ball carriers, including Reynolds and rookie Sione Viaki. That is the third-highest percentage an NFL team has allocated towards its running backs this year, which shows Detroit’s financial commitment to its ground attack. The organization’s move in October, when the Lions lengthened Montgomery’s deal through 2027 at a higher annual cost, offered additional proof of their desire to fund their running game.
“They’ve invested in it,” Reynolds said. “It’s definitely helped.”
As the Lions will testify, it’s money well-spent. Despite missing the final three games with a sprained MCL, Montgomery contributed more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage. Gibbs almost doubled that amount while solidifying his reputation as one of the most electrifying skill players in the league. Together, they contributed 28 of the team’s 29 rushing touchdowns, which was the second-highest total in the NFL during the regular season.
“For us,” Campbell said, “it was always about a one-two punch.”
It has proved to be a devastating combo.
Their impact on the Lions’ success since their union can’t be overstated, which helps explain why Montgomery’s return to practice this week was cheered by coaches and players alike.
“He’s a big, big part of this team,” receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown said. “We can’t wait to have him out there.”
As St. Brown knows, the Lions may need to lean on him and Gibbs more than ever now that the stakes are greater, the margins are thinner and the competition is stiffer. It seems no coincidence that the teams with the top six rushing offenses all made the playoffs in a league that is again starting to appreciate the value of a potent running game.
The Lions, who may have influenced that movement across the NFL, are among that group. But so are the Commanders. The showdown Saturday, which figures to be a battle of wills at the line of scrimmage, offers a chance for Detroit to exert its might on the ground.
“They know they can hang their hat on their run game,” Fox analyst Daryl Johnston told the Free Press.
The Lions have understood that ever since they defied the skeptics and joined Gibbs with Montgomery during a defining offseason that continues to pay big dividends.
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