In the Detroit Lions’ 34–27 overtime victory against the New York Giants on Sunday, the backfield was expected to showcase a two-headed attack. Instead, it turned into the Jahmyr Gibbs show. While the rookie delivered the most explosive outing of his young career, David Montgomery was largely invisible.
Gibbs dominated the offensive spotlight in Week 12, piling up 219 yards on the ground, two rushing scores, 45 receiving yards, and a touchdown catch. Montgomery, on the other hand, contributed only 18 rushing yards on five attempts and 19 receiving yards on three catches—a far cry from what fans had hoped to see, especially after several quiet weeks.
Head coach Dan Campbell praised Gibbs afterward, calling him “electric” and a “game-changer,” while also crediting the offensive line. There was no similar endorsement for Montgomery, and the distribution of touches made that clear. Detroit didn’t run a 1–2 punch; they leaned almost entirely on their rising star. Over the last two weeks, Gibbs has out-carried Montgomery 27 to 11, showing he’s capable of handling feature-back responsibilities.
Detroit Proving It Doesn’t Need Montgomery to Succeed
Early in the season, many pointed fingers at first-year offensive coordinator John Morton for the inconsistent offense. His play-calling was an easy target. But with Campbell now pulling the strings, it’s becoming obvious that the issue isn’t the scheme—it’s Montgomery’s dwindling impact.
After joining Detroit in 2023—the same offseason Gibbs arrived—Montgomery initially looked like a strong fit, even topping 1,000 rushing yards in his first year. Since then, his production has steadily faded. And if the Lions can put up more than 34 points without giving him significant touches, there’s little incentive to adjust what’s working.
The offense is humming, and unless the Lions stumble early in the postseason again, there won’t be pressure to make immediate changes. Still, given their struggle to consistently deliver convincing wins, another playoff flop wouldn’t be surprising—and Montgomery could be the odd man out.
Contract-wise, Montgomery still has two years remaining. However, per Spotrac, Detroit could move on with a post–June 1 release or trade, saving $6 million while absorbing only minor dead-money hits in 2026 and 2027.
At this point, Gibbs is clearly emerging as the centerpiece of the backfield. Montgomery, meanwhile, is offering little more than replacement-level production. Nothing is set in stone yet, but the longer his slump continues, the more likely it is that the Lions will consider parting ways.
