DETROIT – Before Jahmyr Gibbs took the field for the biggest regular-season game of his young career, his idol, Lions great Barry Sanders, whispered a message into his ear.
“Go get it,” Sanders told Gibbs, dapping him up.
By the end of regulation, the 22-year-old Gibbs had made his mark in the record books.
The second-year Lions running back exploded for a career-high four touchdowns in Detroit is 31-9 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday night, helping the Lions clinch the NFC’s No. 1 seed for the first time, win the NFC North title for the second straight year, and earn a first-round bye in the postseason.
“We are obviously having a better season this year, and I think everybody is still counting us out a little bit, so being able to shut them up a little bit feels good,” Gibbs told the sports network.
Gibbs became the first Lions player to lead the NFL in scrimmage touchdowns (20) since Sanders in 1991 (17), while also setting a single-season franchise record for touchdowns.
No other Lions running back had scored four touchdowns since Sanders in 1991, also against the Vikings.
“Just being able to have a record close to his, or I broke it, but being in the same talk with him is just crazy,” Gibbs told the sports channel.
Prior to joining the league, Gibbs studied Sanders’ highlights and described himself as a “very big” fan. Throughout the season, Gibbs described a few of his spin-move plays as “kind of Barryish.”
“I did not watch a lot of NFL games, but I would watch a lot of highlights,” Gibbs told reporters. “So he was one of the main characters. “Him and LeSean McCoy.”
Gibbs was Detroit is “X factor” against the Vikings, racking up 23 carries for 139 yards and five receptions for 31 yards, according to Lions coach Dan Campbell.
The Vikings arrived in Detroit with a 14-2 record, making it the first regular-season game in NFL history between two teams with 13 or more wins.
“He was big, and I felt like he gained steam as the game went on,” Campbell said of Gibbs. “I thought he got better and better and better, and you could really feel it.”
Gibbs got off to a slow start, gaining only 1 yard on his first six carries, but all he needed was one big play to turn things around. With 1:43 remaining in the first quarter, he exploded up the middle for a 25-yard rushing touchdown, giving Detroit a 7-0 lead. He then caught a 10-yard pass for another touchdown in the third quarter, extending the Lions’ lead to 17-9.
His two fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns sealed the victory, and he shone in front of Sanders, Gibbs’ all-time favorite player.
“He was special today, and we needed him to be,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said about Gibbs.
Goff completed 27-of-33 passes for 231 yards and a touchdown, with two interceptions.
According to ESPN Research, the Lions finished the regular season 15-2 with an 8-0 road record, the most victories in franchise history, and became the sixth team in NFL history to score 70 touchdowns.
Even after receiving the No. 1 seed for the first time since seeding began in 1975, Lions players were not satisfied as they wore their new NFC North championship gear.
Their goal is to bring a Super Bowl title to Detroit, and they have made it clear as they prepare for the playoffs.
“We are pleased with this. This is exactly what we needed. But there is that 24-hour rule. “We know what our goal is; we are going to rest,” said Lions cornerback Amik Robertson, who had five tackles on Sunday night.
“We was able to come up short last year, so we know what our goal is: Enjoy this victory and get back to the lab, because we understand what we want to do.”