The bad: It was sort of a tale of two seasons for Detroit’s run game comparing the first half of the year to the second. Over their first nine games, Detroit rushed for at least 100 yards in six contests with two 200-yard rushing performances mixed in there vs. Baltimore Week 3 and Washington Week 10. But in their last eight games, they had just four 100-yard rushing performances.
Detroit averaged 136.3 yards per contest on the ground with 13 touchdowns over the first nine games and were 6-3 over that stretch. That average fell to 101.2 over the last eight games with eight touchdowns, and they were 3-5 down the stretch missing the playoffs. The Lions had just one rushing touchdown over their last four games of the season.
Detroit built one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL over the previous two seasons by leaning on both Gibbs and Montgomery in the backfield, but 2025 saw the biggest discrepancy in carries between the two backs in the three years they’ve been together in Detroit. Montgomery saw career lows in attempts (158) and yards (716) as Gibbs got 85 more carries than Montgomery despite Montgomery being healthy and available for all 17 games.
Gibbs got 65 more carries in 2024, but Montgomery missed three games due to injury. Detroit’s run game is at its best and most versatile when both Gibbs and Montgomery play a big role. Over the first nine games Montgomery had just two games where he didn’t reach double-digit carries. Over the final eight games, he reached at least 10 carries in just one contest.
The Lions tied for 10th in the league in the number of negative rushes – non-kneeldowns – on the season with 42.
Detroit averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry on 41.9 percent of their rushes this season which ranked 27th. That percentage was 48.5 last season which ranked 10th best in the league.