In their 15-2 season — the highest single-season winning percentage in franchise history — the Detroit Lions have faced plenty of adversity. Defensive end Aidan Hutchinson and defensive tackle Alim McNeill both suffered major leg injuries, and cornerback Carlton Davis went down with a jaw injury. That the Lions clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC is a testament to the coaching masterclass that Dan Campbell put on this year.
Fortunately for Detroit, running back David Montgomery — who suffered a torn MCL on December 15 and opted not to undergo season-ending surgery — was a full participant in practice and should be ready to go for Saturday’s Divisional Round game against the Washington Commanders. The Lions are 9.5-point favorites at DraftKings Sportsbook, tied for the sixth-largest spread in a playoff game in the last five seasons. The point total between the two high-powered offenses is 55.5.
This season, Montgomery has been the junior partner of a running back time-share with Jahmyr Gibbs, and the two were arguably the best duo in the league. Gibbs recorded 302 touches, 1,929 yards, and 20 total scores, while Montgomery added 221 touches, 1,116 yards, and 12 touchdowns of his own. By Pro Football Focus’ grading, Gibbs was the sixth-best running back in the NFL this season, while Montgomery ranked ninth.
In Montgomery’s absence, Gibbs was remarkable, turning his 64 carries into 365 yards and five touchdowns, including a 23-carry, 139-yard, three-touchdown masterpiece against the Minnesota Vikings to clinch the division in Week 18. He averaged slightly more yards (5.70) as Detroit’s sole back than he did while playing alongside Montgomery (5.63) despite taking on so much extra volume. In his Monday press availability, Campbell gave no indication as to which running back would receive more touches against Washington, but his support of Montgomery was clear.
“He’s a huge part of us, and to me he’s a bell-cow,” he said. “There’s a place for him.”
The Lions never revealed the severity of Montgomery’s MCL tear, but Grade 2 tears typically take two to four weeks to recover from, and Grade 3 tears can take up to eight weeks, although they can heal as quickly as four weeks. Given that surgery was considered for Montgomery, it’s likely that his tear was more severe, so it’s unclear if he’ll be 100% healthy. But plenty of players have played through torn MCL’s and still been effective, including Tom Brady, who led the Tampa Bay Buccaneers to a Super Bowl title in 2020-21 while playing through the injury.
If Montgomery plays anywhere close to his full workload, he should have a huge impact against a Commanders defensive front that struggled mightily against the run this season. Washington allowed the fourth-most rushing yards (1,935) to opposing running backs, as well as 17 total touchdowns. The Commanders did a good job against the run in its 23-20 victory over the Buccaneers in the Wild Card Round, holding Tampa Bay running back Bucky Irving to 77 yards on 17 carries, but Gibbs and Montgomery should still have no issues.
Montgomery might do particularly well if the Lions jump out to an early lead. Over its past three games, Detroit scored a league-best 8.7 points per game in the opening frame. If the Lions lead for most of the game, Campbell is likely to control the clock by calling a heavy dose of runs, which should benefit both Gibbs and Montgomery.
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