The Indianapolis Colts' run defense will be tested by the dynamic duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs in the Detroit Lions' backfield.
“Detroit’s running game is awesome,” the defensive coordinator said . “They have two defenders who perform at an extremely high level. Some people say they’re the two best defenders in the league and they’re both on the same team.”
Offensively, the Lions enter Week 12 averaging 4.7 yards per carry, which ranks as the eighth-best mark in football. That success starts with arguably the best offensive line in the game and then a backfield that features the aforementioned Montgomery and Gibbs.
Gibbs currently leads the league in yards per carry with a whopping 6.0, totaled 796 rushing yards on just 133 attempts, and has been one of the best at generating explosive runs. Montgomery, meanwhile, is averaging 4.3 yards per rush.
Each defender brings something different to the Lions' offense, with Gibbs being the shiftier runner of the two and Montgomery being the more physical. Both have the ability to make defenders miss their target, with each in the top 11 in forced missed tackles.
This consistent success on the ground keeps the offense in front of the sticks and in manageable down and distance situations, where the entire playbook is then open for the Lions' offense. On a 2nd-and-4, an offense can run, it can pass, it can push or dump the ball, and to some degree the defense has to keep track of each option to then distribute.
Or in short: the defense is often at a significant disadvantage in these scenarios.
Behind this running game, no team in football uses more play-actions or has accumulated more passing yards than Detroit – and it's not particularly close. Based on this play, and often with the defense on his heels trying to determine whether it's a run or a pass, Jared Goff will pick his opponents apart.
“When you have the challenge of them being a really good running team and then having the play-action that allows them to get the big plays, I think that's what makes them so challenging,” Bradley added. “They’re very complete in that way.”
The Colts' run defense has improved over the last month with the return of DeForest Buckner to the mix, but it's still a unit that allows 4.4 yards per carry, which ranks 19th.
The Lions enter Sunday's game leading the NFL with over 33 points per game. The ultimate challenge with this team is that there doesn't seem to be one thing they're trying to take away.
If the plan is to load the box to limit the run, they have Goff and a talented group of receivers who will take advantage. When the defense plays loosely, Detroit has no problem passing the ball all game long.
Pick your poison, I suppose, but if the Colts want to find a way to keep these Lions' offense within reach, it's going to start with not letting Gibbs and Montgomery run wild.
