When Jahmyr Gibbs burst into open space on his 78-yard touchdown Monday night, there was no pause, no doubt, no defender in sight. Just a streak of Honolulu blue and a smile that told the whole story.

“I just saw black,” Gibbs said with a grin after the game. “That’s all I saw — just a whole line 10 yards ahead of everyone. That’s all I saw. And, you know, I just took off.”

That burst, that smile, and that play perfectly summed up the Detroit Lions’ 24–9 win over Tampa Bay — a night defined by Gibbs’ explosive calm.

The moment struck like lightning midway through the second quarter. The Lions leaned on Gibbs from the start, moving him in motion, feeding him in open space, and letting him operate behind one of football’s best offensive lines.

But on this play, everything came together.

“It looked like you were grinning the whole way,” a reporter pointed out. Gibbs laughed. “Yeah, I knew it was six once I got out past the first 12 yards. I knew it was a touchdown.”

A “six,” his shorthand for touchdown, felt certain the second he found daylight. With Penei Sewell, Taylor Decker, and Sam LaPorta locking down the edge, Gibbs trusted his blockers and exploded through the seam.

It wasn’t only about speed — it was vision, patience, and trust — the kind of composure that proves exactly why Detroit drafted him in the first round.

Right after he scored, Gibbs did what he always does: he found his linemen and tight ends, shaking hands and giving them props.

“I do that every time,” he said. “Every time I score, I find them. I dab them up. I appreciate them, because without them, I can’t do it.”

It might seem like a small gesture, but in a locker room built on connection and grit, it means everything. Detroit’s offensive line — Sewell, Decker, Graham Glasgow, and the rest — has long been the foundation of Dan Campbell’s squad. Gibbs knows it, and he never forgets to show it.

After falling to Kansas City the week before, the Lions entered Monday night determined not to slip. Gibbs made sure they didn’t.

“We hate losing,” he said. “We always try to bounce back, to get back to our standard — and that’s winning every game.”

That mindset has defined the Campbell era. Detroit hasn’t dropped back-to-back regular-season games since 2022, a streak now stretching over two full seasons.

“It feels great to get back on track,” Gibbs added. “Especially heading into the bye. Feel good. Everybody’s getting healthy.”

Gibbs finished the game with 218 total yards and two touchdowns, including that career-long 78-yarder destined for every highlight reel this week. But it wasn’t just the speed — it was how composed he looked while doing it.

The Alabama product showed maturity beyond his years — smiling, talking, and thanking his blockers between series. He looked like a player fully aware that the night was his.

And in truth, it was. Monday night wasn’t just a breakout — it was a statement. Jahmyr Gibbs has become the Lions’ spark plug, their heartbeat in motion.

When the Bucs saw black, all Gibbs saw was light.

“I just saw black… then I hit it.”