During the off-season when the Detroit Lions decided to move on from running back Jamaal Williams, it was surprising. He was a leader in the locker room and he carried his heart on his sleeve. That’s the way this business works, though.
The fan base falls in love with a guy and then an unfortunate business decision has to be made. Fortunately, Brad Holmes and the Lions front office made an even better business decision by signing running back David Montgomery.
So far this season, Montgomery has been red hot as the starting running back for the Lions. Despite missing one game due to a thigh bruise, he’s already up to 261 rushing yards (12th best in the NFL) and is averaging 3.8 yards per carry.
Certainly, his yards per carry isn’t as explosive as Christian McCaffrey (5.7 yards per carry) or Bijan Robinson (6.0 yards per carry) but with Montgomery, he’s consistent between the tackles. His 87.3 rushing yards per game are fifth best in the NFL.
Sure, Montgomery might not break off big and explosive runs like other backs but his consistency sets up the big passes to play makers such as Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown. Let’s jump into the tape to see how consistent Montgomery was in week 4 against the Green Bay Packers.
It was very difficult to pick out all 32 of Montgomery’s carries from week 4 against Green Bay. He had so many good runs but with that, we’ll start with one that perfectly describes Montgomery as a running back.
On the play above, the Lions come out in 11 personnel (one tight end and one running back) while being in the red zone. Once the ball is snapped, you’ll want to keep your eyes on the Lions right side of the offensive line. Penei Sewell (RT 58) and Graham Glasgow (RG 60) combo block the defensive tackle that is aligned in a 3-technique.
In addition to that, watch the tight end and wide receiver that are condensed to the formation. Brock Wright (TE 89) does a great job kicking out the defensive end. Meanwhile, Josh Reynolds (WR 8) does a fantastic job getting to the second level and taking out the defensive back. This creates a rushing lane for Montgomery, who does a good job bouncing laterally to his right before getting up field. Major credit to the blocking but also, let’s tip our hats to Montgomery for his vision and lateral ability on this run.
By far, the play above is my favorite run from Montgomery during last weeks game. On this play, the Lions come out in 12 personnel (two tight ends and one running back) with quarterback Jared Goff under center. Prior to the snap, Goff puts Brock Wright (TE 89) in motion to the left of the formation.
On this split-zone look, Wright replaces Sam LaPorta (TE 87) to block the linebacker that is attacking downhill. This allows LaPorta to get out in space and help block on the perimeter.
This gives Montgomery a clear opening to the outside and as he attacks the sideline, he levels a defender with a nasty stiff arm. These are the types of runs that we see weekly from Montgomery but it’s also a run that helps set the tone for the offense.
On the play above, the Lions come out in a condensed set out of 11 personnel (one tight end and one running back). After the ball is snapped, you’ll see Jonah Jackson (LG 73) pull to the play-side while the rest of the offensive line blocks down and away from the play. There are two things that you should also look at on this play.
For starters, there’s one heck of a down block made by Graham Glasgow (RG 60) onto the defensive tackle that is aligned as a one-technique across from him. In addition to that, you’ll notice Sam LaPorta (TE 87) run down the line-of-scrimmage before cutting up into the opening created by Glasgow and Jackson. This allows LaPorta to lead block towards the middle linebacker.
All of this creates a huge opening for Montgomery, who is slightly delayed prior to getting the ball so the blocks develop. Once they do, he fires up field and shows how hard he can run while having the ability to bounce off tackles or move laterally. This leads to another big gain for Montgomery. This old school counter play has a new school vibe with the split-zone look that is attached to it from the tight end.
Lastly, I want to focus on the play above where Montgomery simply follows his blockers and gets up field for another strong gain. The Lions come out in shotgun with their 21 personnel (two running backs and one tight end) and prior to the snap, you’ll see Jahmyr Gibbs (RB 26) run to the left of the formation on an orbit motion.
By doing that, it pulls the linebackers to the left of the offense and it creates a much easier block for the offensive line. As Penei Sewell (RT 58) does a great job blocking the defensive tackle aligned as a 3-technique to his inside, it creates an opening off his outside hip.
This allows an opening for Jonah Jackson (LG 73) to pull into the C-gap. This paves the way for Montgomery to follow. Once Montgomery hits the hole, an attempted tackle from the defensive end occurs but he shrugs the arm tackle off and keeps his feet chopping while gaining additional yardage.
In week 4 against the Packers, David Montgomery had one of the best games of his career. He had 32 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Meanwhile, he added two receptions for 20 yards. Despite not being 100%, Montgomery had stated that he needed to be out there with his team.
You absolutely love to see it.
Whether you love or hate the way the Lions use their running backs, one thing is for sure, the coaching staff trusts David Montgomery. He’s their starter running back and for good reason. No matter the situation, Montgomery fuels this Lions offense.