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ALLEN PARK, Mich. — Scottie Montgomery leaned back and replayed the October 2023 play in his head.
The Detroit Lions running backs coach didn’t know it then. But three hours earlier, Montgomery’s pupil, Jahmyr Gibbs, had conjured the same play when considering which of his 234 rookie touches most reflected his NFL potential.
The Lions were up just 2 points against the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday Night Football when Jared Goff handed the ball to Gibbs, who began his pursuit more than 6 yards behind his quarterback.
Gibbs clutched the ball and raced up the middle of the Raiders’ defensive line. Yes, up the middle. He didn’t cut right nor left as he decisively worked toward the end zone. Only after bursting through defender after defender did Gibbs angle right toward an open field.
He outpaced the safety and scored standing up, before jubilantly leaping into the stands.
Montgomery marveled from the sideline.
Did a rookie just hit the tight zone like that?
“It was a tight interior cut,” Montgomery told Yahoo Sports on Friday after Lions meetings wrapped. “Most young backs bounce, but he decided not to bounce and he skinnied through. As soon as he skinnied through, he burst down the right side and scored.
“That was one of the situations for us like, ‘OK — this is gonna be a special, special situation.’”
Gibbs’ rookie year was indeed special. Forget the flak the Lions took for drafting a running back in the first round — the 2023 12th overall selection needed an opportunity but little time to demonstrate his every-down potential.
Entering his second pro year on a roster that seems prime for something big, Gibbs isn’t just riding that wave of debut success. Instead, he’s working and learning, and asking everyone around him how he can get better.
So the Lions expect he will.
“[It’s] coming together way faster than last year,” Gibbs told Yahoo Sports. “More comfortable. I know the offense.”
From Jared Goff to Amon-Ra St. Brown, Gibbs…
Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/a-special-special-situation-why-rb-jahmyr-gibbs-3-headed-skill-set-has-the-lions-eager-for-year-2-050542695.html
Author : Yahoo Sports
Publish date : 2024-08-05 05:05:42
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