Jahmyr Gibbs has seen Bryce Young up close, so he took it upon himself to brief the Detroit Lions’ defense. The running back, one of the Lions seeing their stock rise through three games, shared a backfield with Young at Alabama in 2022, the quarterback’s final college season.
“I’ve always been rooting for him,” Gibbs said, according to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard. “I know what he can do. I know what he’s capable of. I told them, ‘I mean, he’s like that. Don’t be surprised if he starts carving y’all up,’ but our defense is right. We’re gonna hoop. So, I’m not really worried about that too much.”
Bryce Young’s start gives the Lions reason to listen
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Young has earned the scouting report. He leads the NFL with 939 passing yards and has thrown seven touchdown passes against two interceptions, per Pro Football Reference. His 81.5 overall grade from PFF ranks ninth among 36 qualified quarterbacks. PFF also credits him with six big-time throws, tied for second-most in the league, and a 10.5-yard average depth of target that ranks first.
That is a difficult matchup for this Detroit defense. The Lions are allowing 31.7 points per game, the most in the NFL, and have given up 898 passing yards and nine touchdown passes. Geno Smith threw for 321 yards and three scores against them last week in a game the Lions still won. Detroit has also been playing without safeties Brian Branch (Achilles) and Kerby Joseph (knee), a problem the secondary hasn’t solved.
Sunday will be the first time Gibbs and Young share an NFL field. Young went first overall in the 2023 draft and Gibbs went 12th, but Gibbs sat out with a hamstring injury when the teams met that October.
Gibbs has a favorable matchup of his own. He has 307 rushing yards and four touchdowns, plus 18 catches for 156 yards and two more scores, and Carolina is allowing 193.3 rushing yards per game, the most in the league. The Panthers will be without starting cornerbacks Jaycee Horn (quad) and Mike Jackson (groin). Kickoff at Bank of America Stadium is 8:20 p.m. ET on NBC.
