Jahmyr Gibbs' game-winning touchdown run shows exactly why the Lions' rushing attack is one of the NFL's scariest
The Detroit Lions gutted their way to a 34-27 win over the New York Giants on Sunday, and there's one man who had the game of all games. That was the guy in the cape on the field wearing the 0 on his chest: Jahmyr Gibbs.
The Lions' star running back finished the day with a whopping 264 total yards from scrimmage and three touchdowns. But it was his 69-yard touchdown in overtime that deserves all the extra looks, so I looped in A to Z NFL's Kyle Crabbs to break it down and tell us exactly what happened on what eventually became Detroit's game-winning play in Week 12.
JAHMYR GIBBS TO THE HOUSE ON THE FIRST PLAY OF OT
HE HAS 219 YDS AND 3 TDs
(via @Lions)pic.twitter.com/imqOxyWZIa
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) November 23, 2025
Gibbs' touchdown run is ultimate proof of how lethal the Lions' rushing attack can be
Kyle: Gibbs gets the glory for a 69-yard scoring romp on the first play of the overtime period to bring the Lions all the way back, but there are six other Lions deserving of acknowledgement for their efforts on this play.
First, at the point of attack, center Graham Glasgow and rookie right guard Tate Ratledge eject Giants defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris a full three yards off the ball on a combination block up to the MIKE to create a whole lot of extra stress to the run fits. Right tackle Penei Sewell gets a clean release up to the second level to fit LB Bobby Okereke, who makes Sewell's job even easier by trying to jump over Sewell's block, which makes Gibbs' running lane even bigger and, as a result of how Okereke attacked the block, completely walled off.
But how about this trio of skill players for Detroit? You want to talk about physical eligibles who can help you win in the run game? Rookie wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa successfully stalks up to the second level to block Giants corner Andru Phillips and seal him from providing lateral support on this run. Brock Wright manages to win across the face of a crashing Brian Burns, allowing Gibbs to cut off his hip and accelerate vertically into space. And none of this run happens without Amon-Ra St. Brown on a short motion getting down inside of safety Jevon Holland, who was walked down in the slot against Detroit's condensed formation and came on a blitz on the play.
When I say every player to the right of the left guard not only won their assignment, they won it convincingly, that's the kind of recipe that leaves Gibbs untouched into the secondary with only safety Dane Belton to beat in a footrace to the end zone. Ballgame.
Mike: Gibbs had been he bright side of the Lions' offense outside of Amon-Ra St. Brown in this one. After the game, Lions head coach Dan Campbell talked about how he knew he wanted to get Gibbs extra involved on offense in an effort to not just score, but also run the clock down and make it harder on the Giants for their possession. Instead, Gibbs just took it right to the house.
According to St. Brown, even he felt the same way:
“The craziest thing ever. Overtime’s starting. I told (receiver coach/assistant head coach) Scottie Montgomery, ‘Scottie, let’s run the ball. Trust me, we’ve just got to run in,'" St. Brown said. “Scottie’s like, ‘Yeah, I agree. Let’s do it.’ I told (running backs coach Tashard) Choice, ‘Just run it.'"
Welp, everyone was on the same page for this one, just like the on-field product, and it worked out in the best way possible as it helped the Lions avoid their fifth loss of the season while keeping pace with the NFC North-leading Chicago Bears.
Potential Jets free-agent target projected to cash in via major contract
The New York Jets are expected to be aggressive in free agency this coming offseason. GM Darren Mougey, who is rebuilding the roster, is slated to enter free agency with roughly $99.2 million in cap space, per OverTheCap. Mougey will possess the financial flexibility required to quickly improve the roster.
Wide receiver could be a position the Jets aggressively target in free agency. Depth behind Garrett Wilson has been an issue. Young receivers Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie III will receive opportunities down the stretch here to play themselves into long-term roles, but free agency will provide Mougey with an alternative route to add talent to the position.
The list of wide receivers who will realistically hit the free agent market is thin. Arguably the most realistic target for the Jets could be Indianapolis Colts wideout Alec Pierce, who is in the midst of a career-best season that is trending towards him producing 1,000-plus receiving yards. A recent prediction from ESPN claims Pierce could land a massive contract, however.
Pierce checks in at No. 7 overall in ESPN's way-too-early top-25 rankings for free agency. He's the second-best receiver on the list behind George Pickens, whose temperament may not interest Mougey and Aaron Glenn. Pierce could command a multi-year contract in the neighborhood of $20 million per season, per Jeremy Fowler.
"Teams I've talked to anticipate Pierce will hit a big number in free agency," Fowler wrote. "They think the $20 million per year threshold isn't out of the question for him. Pierce is poised for his first 1,000-yard season and has the size/speed combination teams covet."
Pierce has registered 28 receptions for 585 yards and one touchdown throughout 2025 thus far. The former Cincinnati receiver has produced an explosive 20.9 yards per catch, which leads all NFL wide receivers in that metric. Pierce is a vertical field stretcher with the straight-line speed necessary to complement what Wilson does underneath the coverage.
If the Jets are interested in Pierce, they'll have to pay a premium for his services.
