Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions Surge into Long-Awaited NFC Title Game
Jahmyr Gibbs Stats: Rookie RB has TD in 6 of Last 7 Games
Jahmyr Gibbs
Jahmyr Gibbs
Detroit Lions26
21 years old (03-20-2002)
5’9″
Dalton, GA, USA
RB
2023/Round 1/Pick 12
The Detroit Lions are headed to the NFC Championship Game for the first time since the 1991 NFL season, and they have Jahmyr Gibbs’ stats to thank. The rookie running back starred in Sunday’s 31-23 Divisional Round victory over Tampa Bay, rushing for 74 yards and a touchdown on nine carries. Gibbs also caught four passes for 40 yards.
Gibbs’ 31-yard touchdown broke a 17-17 tie with 13:13 remaining and helped the Lions run off 14 unanswered points to begin the fourth quarter. Detroit, a 6-point favorite, covered for the fifth time in six games and improved to 13-6 ATS. Its 68.4% cover rate leads the NFL.
Next up for Detroit is the NFC Championship Game against the top-seeded San Francisco 49ers on Sunday (6:30 p.m. ET). Detroit is currently a 7-point underdog at -112 odds and is +260 on the moneyline.
What can bettors expect? For more insight into the NFL matchup, let’s break down one of the Lions’ potential difference-makers in Gibbs.
Jahmyr Gibbs Stats
Much was expected of Jahmyr Gibbs coming into the NFL, and the rookie running back from Alabama certainly didn’t disappoint. Gibbs rushed for 945 yards on 182 carries (5.2 avg) and also caught 52 passes for 316 yards.
Altogether, he scored 11 touchdowns (10 rushing), helping the Lions go 12-5 to lock up their first NFL playoff appearance since 2016 and first division title since 1993. The Lions also went an NFL-best 12-5 against the NFL point spread.
The Lions finished fifth in rushing (135.9 yards/game) and third in total offense (394.8 yards/game) while averaging 27.1 points.
Again, Gibbs had a big hand in that success. He had two 100-yard games and rushed for 70 yards or more three times. The Lions became more reliant on him as the season went along, as Gibbs averaged 13 carries over the final five regular-season games, according to NFL scores. By comparison, he surpassed that total in just three of his first 10 games.
In the Wild Card win over the Rams, Gibbs contributed 25 yards rushing, 43 yards receiving, and scored a touchdown. He’s now scored at least one touchdown in six of the last seven games.
Odds Outlook
Gibbs opened +700 to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, pitting him alongside the favorites. However, with Detroit slow to integrate the first-rounder into their offense, Gibbs slowly dropped down the board while others, like Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud and Rams receiver Puka Nacua, took off.
Stuck behind David Montgomery, Gibbs was limited to single-digit carries in three of his first four games and didn’t score his first NFL touchdown until Week 7 against Baltimore.
Gibbs’ production picked up steadily from there, with his first 100-yard game coming the following week against Las Vegas. However, he never truly regained momentum in the race for Rookie of the Year.
Gibbs’ odds dipped to +1250 by Halloween and plummeted as far as +3750 in early December. Now he’s essentially off the board. Stroud is the runaway favorite to win the award at -5000, with Nacua a distant second at +1200. The winner will be announced on Feb. 8, three days before Super Bowl LVIII.
Although Gibbs finished with relatively productive numbers, bettors also won’t find him anywhere near other major NFL awards, such as Offensive Player of the Year. 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey (-300) and Dolphins receiver Tyreek Hill (+175) are the two favorites for that honor.
Nevertheless, Gibbs is sure to remain a fixture on offense as the Lions chase their first Super Bowl in franchise history. After opening the season with +900 odds to win the NFC, the Lions now sit just a win away from cashing in. As for their Super Bowl odds, the Lions are easily the biggest longshot of the remaining semifinalists at +750.
For Jahmyr Gibbs stats, NFL scores today games, analysis and more, visit Point Spreads Sports Magazine.
