The bye week is a key opportunity for rest and recuperation, but it also gives coaches a week to adjust their playbook. The Detroit Lions are sitting comfortably with a 5-2 record, but that does not mean Dan Campbell and company have been idle.
The Lions have learned a lot through seven games, and with another 10 still to come, they will certainly put that tape to good use. A strategy that worked in Week 1 might not work in Week 11. Inversely, an early-season weakness can be improved upon over the course of the season. Part of what makes a successful football team is the ability to adapt to the chess pieces available to them.
Detroit has not been perfect to start the season, but they should still be satisfied with their current status. However, there is always room to improve. Which changes should the Lions try to implement over the second half of the season?
Today’s Question of the Day is:
Which changes would you like to see from the Detroit Lions after the bye week?
My answer: I would like to see more of Jahmyr Gibbs as a receiver on non-screen plays.
Through seven games, Gibbs has 26 receptions for 194 yards and one touchdown, putting him on pace for approximately 63 catches for 471 yards across a 17-game season. The 63 receptions would top his career-high of 52 set last year, but he would fall short of last year’s yardage total of 517. However, I still believe he has a higher ceiling than this. The gold standard of receiving backs is a 1000/1000 rushing and receiving yard season, something few running backs have accomplished. I doubt Gibbs will ever achieve this in Detroit, as the offense simply has too many receiving weapons to justify feeding Gibbs the necessary volume. Instead, something in the 600-yard range should be feasible for a player as dangerous as Gibbs.
Reaching that 600-yard threshold will only happen by opening up the playbook. Per PFF, 15 of Gibbs’ catches were behind the line of scrimmage with an average depth of target at negative 4.3 yards—these are screen passes. When the Lions get proper blocking, these can spring big plays, such as his 20-yard touchdown and 30-yard season-long reception. However, we can also see them blown up for minimal gains or even losses (Gibbs has three receptions for negative yards in 2025). The Lions’ screen game (including receivers) has not been up to snuff:
Though Gibbs has seen 12 targets in the “short” range of 0-9 yards downfield, his yards after catch leave much to be desired. Behind the line of scrimmage, Gibbs is averaging 12.6 yards after the catch. In the short range, however, his YAC average plummets to 2.8 yards after the catch. Similarly, his average depth of target on short passes is just 3.3 yards downfield. When you think about what makes Gibbs a dangerous player, you think of his speed and agility. However, those are simply not translating to receiving success downfield.
The average depth of target tells you that Gibbs is primarily being used on screen plays or on dump-off passes. However, I think his receiving ceiling is far higher than these types of plays. We have seen him be deadly over the middle of the field, especially on Texas routes. The Lions also utilized Gibbs out wide in training camp, yet that has not seen much action during the regular season.
Going back to college scouting reports on Gibbs, many touted him of having receiver-like catching skills. I think the Lions need to lean on this more. Use him out wide or in the slot. Give him genuine downfield routes to run. Let him use his speed and agility to get open and give himself an opportunity to make yards after the catch. It feels like keeping Gibbs’ receiving game limited to the line of scrimmage is doing a disservice to his skillset.
Gibbs is already an elite player, but I think his ceiling can be pushed even further.
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