How the Vikings shut down Jahmyr Gibbs with scheme and physicality

Jahmyr Gibbs, the Lions' star third-year running back, has torched the Vikings in previous meetings between the two teams, most notably in last season's unofficial Week 18 NFC North title game. This is his game log against Minnesota from his first two NFL seasons:

Week 16, 2023: 19 touches, 100 yards, 2 TD
Week 18, 2023: 13 touches, 30 yards, TD
Week 7, 2024: 19 touches, 160 yards, 2 TD
Week 18, 2024: 28 touches, 170 yards, 4 TD

The Lions won all four of those games, in large part because they scored at least 30 points and racked up close to 400 total yards on Brian Flores' defense in each one. Outside of the 2023 regular season finale, when Jared Goff threw for 320 yards, Gibbs was a huge factor in Detroit's success in those contests.

Thus, it's not exactly a coincidence that on Sunday, in the Vikings' first win over the Lions since Flores was hired, they found a way to keep Gibbs from hurting them. After torching the Buccaneers for 218 yards and two scores in his most recent outing, the Lions' electrifying back was held to a career-low 28 yards on 12 touches in Minnesota's upset victory.

The Vikings shut down Gibbs in a couple different ways. The first, simplest way they did it was by winning the line of scrimmage in the run game. This was pretty easily the most impressive performance of the season from the Vikings' run defense, considering the opponent. Between Gibbs' nine carries for 25 yards and David Montgomery's 11 for 40, the Lions collectively averaged fewer than 3.3 yards per rush. They had just two runs longer than seven yards all day, both 11-yarders by Montgomery, and one of those ended in a key fumble forced by Blake Cashman.

Cashman, who had 14 tackles, was huge in this game. Andrew Van Ginkel's return to action was massive for the Vikings' run defense. Javon Hargrave was also phenomenal in that area, and guys like Eric Wilson, Harrison Smith, and Josh Metellus flew to the ball from the second and third levels.

The other way the Vikings limited Gibbs was by blitzing the Lions relentlessly in passing situations and forcing him to pick up a linebacker in pass protection. They blitzed Goff on 24 of his 42 dropbacks (57 percent), per PFF, which led to three of their five sacks. Gibbs had a long day in pass pro against the trio of Cashman, Wilson, and Ivan Pace Jr.; he was charged with seven pressures allowed on 15 such snaps. Wilson, in particular, had an incredible game as a blitzer, recording six pressures and two sacks.

Lions RB Jahmyr Gibbs had a rough time in pass pro against the Vikings' blitzing linebackers. 7 pressures allowed on 15 snaps, per PFF. pic.twitter.com/B3vPVHe7fI
— Will Ragatz (@WillRagatz) November 3, 2025

As a receiver out of the backfield, Gibbs had just three catches for three total yards.

"Yeah, you would much prefer him blocking than being a major weapon in the pass game," Kevin O'Connell said on Monday. "We did want to try to limit his ability in the pass game to impact the game, because he is as impactful as any running back in the National Football League when he gets the ball in his hands in space.

"I just thought Flo and the plan the staff had, and then the way the players made it come to life, was really good stuff."

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