Detroit Lions Running Back Jahmyr Gibbs Continues To Impress
If you grew up watching football in the ’90s, the name Barry Sanders is sacred. He wasn’t just a running back; he was a glitch in the video game. On Thursday night, under the bright lights and deafening roar of Ford Field, Jahmyr Gibbs didn’t just play a football game. He etched his name next to royalty.
In a massive 44-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys, Gibbs was the engine that wouldn’t quit. He found the end zone three times. That performance brought his career total to 47 touchdowns. Here is the kicker: he’s only 23 years old. By hitting that number, he tied Barry Sanders for the most touchdowns in NFL history before the age of 24.
Gibbs and the “Eye Test”
Let’s be real for a second. Stats are great for your fantasy team, but the “eye test” tells the real story. Gibbs didn’t have a monstrous rushing yardage night—he finished with 43 yards on 12 carries. But that’s why you watch the game. He torched the Cowboys through the air, racking up 77 receiving yards on seven catches, proving he is a Swiss Army knife that defensive coordinators lose sleep over.
When the Lions needed a play, they looked for number 26. His final touchdown, a 13-yard scamper in the fourth quarter, was the dagger. It didn’t just ice the game; it put the entire NFC on notice that Detroit isn’t just happy to be here. They are hunting.
A Historic One-Two Punch
It wasn’t just the Gibbs show, though. We have to talk about the sheer irony of what happened with David Montgomery. Gibbs and Montgomery scored in the same game for the 15th time, breaking a record previously held by Cowboys legends Emmitt Smith and Daryl Johnston. Doing that against the Cowboys? That is some poetic justice right there.
While Gibbs provides the lightning, Montgomery brings the thunder, and together they are creating a backfield nightmare that feels historic.
The Playoff Push Is Real
This win moved Detroit to 8-5, but it felt bigger than just a mark in the win column. You had Amon-Ra St. Brown playing on a bad ankle, grinding out 92 yards because that’s just the kind of grit this team has. You had the offense putting up over 35 points for the fifth time this season.
But the headline remains the young superstar. Gibbs has officially entered the chat of “elite playmakers.” He has until the offseason to turn 24, which means the record book is likely about to be rewritten with his name alone at the top. Sanders was a once-in-a-lifetime talent, but Gibbs is proving that the Lions might just have found their next generational great.
