Two running backs who spent part of their college careers at Alabama will be asked to carry a larger load for their NFL teams for the remainder of the season, even though they're already the leading rusher.
Ford has run for 451 yards and two touchdowns on 87 carries and caught 32 passes for 186 yards in 12 games in 2024. A knee injury suffered last season by Chubb caused the four-time Pro Bowl running back to miss 21 games. Chubb was in his eighth game of 2024 when he got hurt in a 21-7 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday.
"It's real hard to see," Ford said. "Seeing all the work that he's put in to be on the field and then him having to turn around and have another injury like this, it's sad to see. And I know the type of guy Nick is. He's just back to work."
A back with breakaway ability who had a 45-yard kickoff return against the Chiefs, Ford scored Cleveland's only touchdown against Kansas City on a 62-yard run.
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Over the final three games of the Browns' season, Cleveland coach Kevin Stefanski said he wanted Ford to "continue to build on (Sunday). I thought he was really good. Obviously, gave us a spark in the kick-return game, gave us a spark on offense, so it's just building on that. I thought his pass protection was good as well. Another young player that will get a few more opportunities."
The Browns play the Cincinnati Bengals at noon CST Sunday at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati.
"Just honing in on the details, everybody getting on the same page, all 11 guys doing our job from Day 1," Ford said on the outlook of breaking another long one. "The offensive line to us hitting the right holes and being in the right places, the wide receivers blocking on the edge and the quarterback making the right calls and the coaches calling the right plays, so, like, when we're hitting on all cylinders like that, it's really hard to stop us."
On Monday, Lions coach Dan Campell said Montgomery's knee injury would require surgery. Now they're not so sure, but he won't be back on Sunday, when Detroit plays the Chicago Bears at noon at Soldier Field in Chicago.
"We got a lot of confidence in Gibbs," Campbell said. "He's continued to get better and better as the season's gone, and when given the opportunity, he's made a lot of plays. He made some big plays for us (Sunday). He brings the explosive element. He's getting better in the pass game, and then you see what he's able to do in the run game, so we have a ton of confidence.
"I think for him it's going to be we got to use and maximize the reps that we have for him and be careful that we give him too much. We still got to be able to be smart with him. But we need him, and that's the trick."
Gibbs has 1,047 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 186 carries and 395 yards and three touchdowns on 39 receptions in 2024. Montgomery has 775 yards and 12 touchdowns on 185 carries and 36 receptions for 341 yards.
"We have a great group of guys that can pick up the slack," Gibbs said. "I think we're going to pick up where we left off. It was hard losing D-Mo. I don't know how long he's out, but for the time being, we got him, so we're going to play for him."
While Ford and the Browns are 3-11 and playing out their schedule, Gibbs and the Lions are 12-2 and battling for the NFC North title and the No. 1 seed in the NFC playoffs.
Gibbs expects to carry a winning mindset into Sunday's game even without Montgomery.
"There's nothing different," Gibbs said. "I've been doing this my whole life, so I don't look at it any different. ...
"My goal is to win, and so if that means not get as many carries or get all the carries, it doesn't really matter to me. As long as we win, I'm good."
Ford played at Alabama in the 2018 and 2019 seasons. He ran for 151 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries and caught two passes for 11 yards while playing behind future NFL running backs Damien Harris, Josh Jacobs, Najee Harris and Brian Robinson Jr. Ford transferred to Cincinnati, where he played two seasons before joining the Browns in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft.
Gibbs came to Alabama from Georgia Tech. In 2022 for the Crimson Tide, Gibbs ran for 926 yards and seven touchdowns on 151 carries and caught 44 passes for 444 yards and three touchdowns. He left Alabama as a first-round selection in the 2023 NFL Draft.
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