Raheem Morris’ first instinct is probably to lock in on the big names: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Aidan Hutchinson, the usual stars. But if you think stopping those two is all it takes to get through this preseason game, you might be missing the real problem. The real threat might be the guy no one’s talking about just yet.
Yeah, Atlanta’s coming in as the clear underdog vs the Detroit Lions in their first preseason game, no surprise there. But they’re not just facing off against the usual stars. Dan Campbell and his crew have been cooking up some quiet experiments all offseason, and from the looks of training camp, one dynamic playmaker is about to be unleashed… in a way no one saw coming.
In a recent episode of Lions Syndicate, the host highlighted how big a problem it would be if Dan Campbell puts Jahmyr Gibbs at WR. “We have heard that John Morton is going to incorporate not only Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery on the field at the same time, but Jamyr will also have a bigger role in the passing game,” he said. Yeah, this experiment screams trouble for Raheem Morris.
Reports out of camp are telling us that Dan Campbell is thinking of lining up the ever-dynamic Jahmyr Gibbs alongside David Montgomery and working him into the passing game. If it clicks the way they’re hoping, it could be a straight-up nightmare for Atlanta’s defense.
SANTA CLARA, CA – DECEMBER 30: Detroit Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs 26 looks on before a NFL, American Football Herren, USA game against the San Francisco 49ers on December 30, 2024 at Levi s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. Photo by Matthew Huang/Icon Sportswire NFL: DEC 30 Lions at 49ers EDITORIAL USE ONLY Icon241230036
Jahmyr Gibbs isn’t just getting sprinkled in; he’s being deployed. He’s already had 52 catches in each of his first two seasons, and now in camp? He’s lining up out wide, catching everything from quick outs to intermediate stuff, and finishing through contact like a dude on a mission. Day 4 of camp? He took a little dump-off and housed it during team drills.
David Montgomery said it himself: “Having me and him on the field at the same time? That’s gonna be tough for defenses to prepare for.” Translation? They know it’s a problem. And if you’re in Atlanta, you better have a plan ready. This combo can create mismatches real quick, before you even get to halftime adjustments.
And this isn’t just some preseason gimmick. Gibbs is in Year 3, expanding his route tree, showing off legit hands, and Detroit’s OC John Morton knows exactly what he’s doing. He’s not ‘mixing things up.‘ This is setting a trap. Defenses come in expecting old-school, between-the-tackles looks, and instead they get motion, split-backs, and a running back playing like a slot receiver. Yeah, it’s going to be a headache for Morris. But Atlanta has weapons of its own.
What are the weapons of Raheem Morris?
As many reasons as Morris has to worry, he has just as many to be confident. And the first weapon in his arsenal? Bijan Robinson. He was elite last season. 1,887 scrimmage yards and 15 touchdowns? That had Saquon Barkley calling him a “scary” mismatch. And he’s right. If Detroit starts throwing too much attention at those new-look rookie sets, Bijan’s the guy who’ll make them pay. One crease, one overcommitment, and they’re gone.
Then there’s Drake London, who’s coming off a 1,271-yard, nine-touchdown, 100-catch season. The guy averaged 2.4 yards per route run in 2022, putting him right up there with the league’s top deep threats. And now with rookie QB Michael Penix Jr. airing it out in camp, London’s still that guy on the outside. If Detroit’s secondary gets too caught up chasing motion and shifts inside, London’s the one who can burn them deep.
And hey, don’t sleep on Kyle Pitts. His domination in 1 vs 1 matchups? That’s a problem. If Detroit’s safeties or linebackers start creeping up to deal with all the inside motion and backfield wrinkles, Pitts is the guy who can slip behind them and make them pay. Just another layer Raheem Morris has to keep tabs on.
And while Detroit is going big with these experiments, Raheem Morris is expected to keep things simple. But if the key weapons do their job? Let’s just say, they won’t be going into this game as the underdogs. They have more than enough power to punish Lions’ over-adjustments. But yeah, it’ll be an interesting matchup.
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