The Detroit Lions escaped Week 1 with a 31-30 overtime victory over the New Orleans Saints, and running back Jahmyr Gibbs carried an unusually heavy burden in Detroit’s dramatic season opener.
With former Lions rusher David Montgomery now in Houston, Gibbs is embracing a larger role under first-year offensive coordinator Drew Petzing.
Gibbs handled a career-high 29 carries for 156 yards and two touchdowns while adding five catches for 30 yards. Asked afterward about the workload, Gibbs said he felt “fine” dealing with it.
“It doesn’t matter to me,” Gibbs said. “I’m just trying to help the team win no matter what that looks like.”
Gibbs also acknowledged he does not know whether Sunday’s usage will become the norm, but made clear he has no concerns about whatever Detroit asks him to handle.
Lions coach Dan Campbell admitted that giving Gibbs 29 carries is not necessarily the workload Detroit wants every week, but Sunday’s circumstances dictated otherwise.
“You know what I like? Winning the game, man,” Campbell said. “And that guy’s our hot hand and ultimately, do I want to set records with how many carries? No. That’s not something I want to do.”
Gibbs scored twice on 1-yard runs, reaching 51 career touchdowns in his 50th game. According to ESPN Research, he became only the sixth player in NFL history to record at least 50 touchdowns within his first 50 games.
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According to ESPN’s Eric Woodyard, Gibbs said he “doesn’t have a set number of carries he wants to reach to stay fresh throughout the season,” adding he “won’t shy away from the new role.”
The Lions ran the ball for a combined 165 yards on Sunday, with fellow running back Sione Vaki logging two carries for seven yards and quarterback Jared Goff getting two yards on two scrambles.
Detroit will return to action Thursday, Sept. 17, when the Lions visit the Buffalo Bills.
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