Lions running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs are on a historic pace

Going against the grain has worked well for the Detroit Lions, and it was never shown more than when they took running back Jahmyr Gibbs with the 12th overall pick in the 2023 draft about a month after signing David Montgomery in free agency. More recently, they also went against the grain by signing Montgomery to a two-year contract extension with a year-plus left on his original deal. Last season, Montgomery and Gibbs both had double-digit rushing touchdowns (13 and 10 respectively). Montgomery topped 1,000 yards on the ground (1,015), while Gibbs had 945 rushing yards. Two 1,000-yard rushers on the same team in the same season is very rare air in NFL history, and "Sonic and Knuckles" (the new nickname for Gibbs and Montgomery) almost did it last season. Through eight games this season, they have a chance to get it done this time around. "On pace" statistics are always a little hard to fully buy into, especially only halfway through a season. But let's indulge it here with Montgomery and Gibbs. Through eig