Just one stat shows how right John Morton was about Lions' run game vs. Browns
The Detroit Lions have been a perennial threat with their run game. Between Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery, their offense is never truly stuck in the mud. Jared Goff can be having an off day, and Detroit can still pull out big wins thanks to those two in the backfield.
Gibbs, specifically, stepped up in a big way against the Cleveland Browns in Week 4. He finished up with 91 rushing yards, one touchdown, and averaged 6.1 yards per carry - his second-most effective game of the year. This, against a Browns team that was barely allowing their opponents to get past the line of scrimmage, was beyond impactful.
One stat perfectly encapsulates just how well Gibbs did against the Browns' defense in Week 4, shared by Pride of Detroit's Al Karsten:
Longest RB rushes allowed by the Browns defense this season:
1. DET Jahmyr Gibbs – 24 yards
2. DET Jahmyr Gibbs – 22 yards
3. DET Jahmyr Gibbs – 9 yards
3t. DET Jacob Saylors – 9 yards
3t. GB Emanuel Wilson – 9 yards
6t. DET Jahmyr Gibbs – 8 yards
6t. DET Jahmyr Gibbs – 8 yards… — Al Karsten (@FootballGuy_Al) September 29, 2025
Gibbs helps Morton get last laugh against Browns
If you recall, John Morton told reporters ahead of the Lions' game against the Browns that Cleveland simply hadn't seen a run game like Detroit's, and that's why they'd been so successful up to this point in stopping the run. All-Pro pass rusher Myles Garrett begged to differ, responding to these comments by saying, "He's entitled to his opinion. He hasn't seen a defensive front like ours...we have the privilege to see who's right."
Cleveland proceeded to allow 109 rushing yards against Detroit, bucking against their typical 70.3 rushing yards allowed per game (which skewed upward after their loss to the Lions). Clearly, Morton had a point - the Browns hadn't faced a speedy, elusive back like Gibbs yet.
While Montgomery was pretty contained for the day, only picking up 12 rushing yards, Gibbs' offense was more than enough to pick up the slack for him.
Morton has been using Gibbs a
Gibbs also managed to earn 86 yards on 11 carries against loaded boxes, as noted by the NFL Next Gen Stats team. This was the most yards gained against loaded boxes by any player this year.
He's continued to get better and better about taking advantage of these lower leverage situations, finally looking explosive against an elite defensive line like the Browns have. His only other breakout game this season came against the less fearsome Chicago Bears and their D-line, so this felt like a legitimate feel-good game from Gibbs.
It's much needed as the Lions will be going into Week 5 against the Cincinnati Bengals and Trey Hendrickson, yet another troublesome pass rusher.
Dodgers reveal controversial hero as ceremonial first pitch for Game 1 vs. Reds
The Dodgers could have any number of people throw out their ceremonial first pitch in every game they play this postseason. This year alone, they've had world-famous athletes, K-pop stars, LA icon Kobe Bryant's daughter Bianka, players' kids, and so on. An untold number of celebrities have been spotted at Dodger Stadium throughout the season.
But instead of any of the diehard celebrity Dodgers fans out there, the team will instead have...former middle reliever Joe Kelly throw out the first pitch for Game 1 against the Cincinnati Reds.
The Dodgers have a fondness for Kelly that some fans just can't make sense of. Sure, he spent five years with the club and a pretty good 2021 season, and he technically won two World Series with LA, but he sat out of the entire 2024 run and posted a 4.78 ERA in the regular season. He was also reportedly working up toward a major league tryout with LA this season (he insisted that he would only sign with the Dodgers) that clearly didn't work out, because he's still contract-less.
Sounds like the Dodgers said, "Thanks, but no thanks. Would you prefer to throw a single, meaningless, and probably not televised ceremonial pitch instead?"
Dodgers tab former reliever Joe Kelly to throw out ceremonial first pitch in Wild Card Game 1 vs. Reds
Maybe Kelly's viral shenanigans against Carlos Correa and the Astros in 2020 really were all that was needed to turn a player into a folk hero?
It's been sort of a nostalgia-tinged year for the Dodgers overall. They've welcomed multiple players who left in the offseason (or were traded away) back to Dodger Stadium to present their World Series rings, they're saying goodbye to Clayton Kershaw, and so on. Maybe they just want to give Dodgers fans one last and very obvious reminder of their recent glories ahead of their long trek back to the Fall Classic (even though Kelly didn't pitch in October 2024).
Maybe they're keeping their heavy hitters in the chamber for a possible NLDS, NLCS, and World Series. We guess you can't get Ice Cube to do a pregame show at every postseason game.
