Raiders Must Slow Down Lions RB Gibbs
The Las Vegas Raiders will take on the Detroit Lions at Ford Field in Detroit for a Monday Night Football game tomorrow night.
The Lions have been one of the best teams in the NFL this season on both sides of the ball, as Coach Dan Campbell has turned the team around in a short three-year span.
The Lions are especially good on offense, ranking near the league's top in several offensive categories. Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson has been one of the best coordinators in the league this season and will be a popular head coaching candidate in the offseason.
One player who is becoming a larger part of the Lions’ offense is running back Jahmyr Gibbs. The rookie has seen his touches increase as the season has progressed, and with the injury to David Montgomery, he should see the ball even more.
Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Gibbs is coming off the most productive game of his career against the Baltimore Ravens, rushing 11 times for 68 yards and a touchdown, while also catching nine passes for 58 yards. He gave the Lions a spark on offense when they could not find one all game.
Gibbs was the No. 12 overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft out of Alabama. The Lions traded back from the No. 6 overall selection to take him. He rushed for more than 900 yards and posted above 400 receiving yards in one season with the Crimson Tide after transferring from Georgia Tech.
The Raiders must account for Gibbs’ ability to be effective as a runner and a receiver out of the backfield, as he is equally good at both. At 5-foot-11 and 200 pounds, Gibbs has elite speed and agility, and is very tough to track down in the open field.
The Raiders have done well stopping the run this season, but Gibbs adds another element for which Defensive Coordinator Patrick Graham must account. His speed and ability to catch out of the backfield make him an incredibly tough cover.
Gibbs’ usage is expected to increase and he is set to be the lead back for the Lions on Monday night. The Raiders’ defense must find a way to limit Gibbs in the running and passing games, or he will do his part to engineer the Lions’ offense.
The Silver and Black will stay on the road to take on the Detroit Lions on Monday night, Oct. 30, at 8:15 p.m. EDT/5:15 p.m. PDT.
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