Lions to Use Committee Approach at Running Back

With David Montgomery returning to Detroit Lions healthy, offense will use committee approach at running back.

Transcript

00:00 John, as you know, the lines were likely to deploy a running backs by committee

00:03 approach. Now the rest of the way this season with Jamir Gibbs and David

00:06 Montgomery and even Craig Reynolds. What do you make of that being the case

00:09 from the lines backfield the rest of the way this season? Yeah, it's real

00:13 interesting. Obviously with David Montgomery being out due to a rib

00:17 cartilage situation, you realize, okay, Jamir Gibbs was going to be thrust

00:21 into the starters role and boy did he acclimate himself well. I think he

00:25 steadily has improved since week one and is a running back that can

00:29 definitely run through the tackles, can be explosive, is that offensive weapon

00:33 that I think the coaching staff envisioned. But now with the returning

00:37 David Montgomery, you have really a primary running back that can carry the

00:43 load that can handle having the primary rushing attack be his responsibility.

00:48 Now it's gonna be interesting because Jamir Gibbs is a developing young

00:53 running back and I do think that this committee approach is gonna work. It's

00:57 nothing new. Dan Campbell has said that the Detroit Lions want to feature a

01:01 one to punch and you have two distinctly different running backs. David

01:06 Montgomery is really a veteran running back savvy, understands how to trust

01:12 his offensive line, really a solid player in the red zone and Jamir Gibbs

01:17 I think has the opportunity late in games to make plays, shed tackles and be

01:22 another offensive target in the passing game for Jared Goff. So similar to what

01:27 the Saints had with Mark Ingram and Elvin Kamara, I think the Lions are

01:32 looking for that one to punch and the committee approach really should look to

01:36 try and keep both of the primary running backs healthy in the push for the

01:41 postseason. So it's gonna be interesting. I do think that Jamir Gibbs is gonna

01:44 play less. I don't see him recording over 60 snaps maybe the next couple of weeks.

01:49 But Vito for the offense, I think it bodes well to have two running backs

01:55 the caliber of David Montgomery and Jamir Gibbs. It's gonna bode very well

01:58 for the Lions in the second half of the season.

02:01 John, thanks for all the insight.