The Detroit Lions could be without their workhorse running back for the second consecutive game. Free agent signee David Montgomery will not practice on Thursday in preparation for his team’s Monday Night Football showdown against the Las Vegas Raiders.
David Montgomery: Rollercoaster Ride During Inaugural Season with Detroit Lions
Montgomery signed a three-year, $18 million contract with the Lions this offseason. He hit the ground running, earning the starting role despite the Lions burning a first-round pick on running back Jahmyr Gibbs from Alabama. However, Montgomery’s usage had been extreme, and he is pacing to miss his third game of the 2023 season.
The former Chicago Bear missed a game earlier this year with a thigh injury and was unavailable in the Lions’ 38-7 loss to the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. Montgomery is dealing with a rib cartilage issue that forced him out of the game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 6. He has run for 385 yards and six touchdowns in 2023.
Detroit Lions: Turning to Jahmyr Gibbs and Craig Reynolds for Third Time this Season
Detroit running back David Montgomery is the team leader in touches despite missing over ten quarters of football this season. He has three games with over 20 touches, including 32 rushes for 121 yards and three touchdowns in a later September contest against the Green Bay Packers.
As they did last Sunday, the Lions will now have to lean on Jahmyr Gibbs and Craig Reynolds to carry the load in Week 8. The Lions struggled early, trailing 14-0 in the first quarter before their eventual 38-6 loss, so the game script was not conducive to running the football. However, Gibbs took 11 carries for 63 yards and a score, while Reynolds rushed three times for 16 yards.
The duo also caught ten of 11 targets for 67 yards, with Gibbs snagging nine passes for 58 yards. In the only other game that Montgomery has missed, a Week 3 win over the Atlanta Falcons, Gibbs had 18 touches for 82 yards while Reynolds has four carried for 15 yards.
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