Dan Campbell may be taking an unnecessary gamble at a time when the Detroit Lions can’t afford many mistakes. With the NFC North tightly contested, Detroit must close the regular season strong to secure a postseason spot. Their recent loss to the Green Bay Packers only adds pressure, leaving the Lions needing a late-season surge.

Over the past seven games, Detroit has gone just 3-4, and as opponents get tougher, the Lions have leaned more heavily on one clear solution: Jahmyr Gibbs.

What started as a balanced backfield featuring both Gibbs and David Montgomery has gradually shifted into a Gibbs-centric offense. Although Montgomery has still produced when called upon—aside from a difficult outing against Green Bay—it’s worth questioning whether the team is hurting itself by funneling so many touches to one player.

Overworking Gibbs could create long-term issues

Earlier in the season, Gibbs and Montgomery typically shared workloads fairly evenly, each seeing around a dozen-plus opportunities per game. That trend has changed dramatically. Across Weeks 11 through 13, Gibbs handled 47 carries along with 19 catches.

Montgomery? Just 19 rushing attempts and six receptions in the same span—a massive gap of 41 total touches, far from their usual split.

It’s understandable why Detroit might lean heavily on Gibbs; he practically dragged them to an overtime win against the New York Giants with 264 yards from scrimmage and three scores. Still, the question remains whether this approach is sustainable or smart.

Montgomery is capable of softening defenses and creating more favorable situations for the entire offense. Against the Packers, he posted 4.0 yards per attempt compared to Gibbs’ 3.4 and also punched in a touchdown. A more even distribution might have lifted the whole rushing attack.

Detroit has the luxury of possessing two high-level running backs, which should allow them to rotate and keep both fresh. That kind of balance could be a real weapon down the stretch, as the duo has shown they can dominate in tandem.

For reasons unclear, Campbell and the Lions appear to have drifted away from the formula that worked so well earlier in the season. They can only hope that this shift doesn’t come back to haunt them.