Lions RB David Montgomery likely out ‘for a little bit’

Lions running back David Montgomery is expected to be sidelined for a period of time due to a rib cartilage injury, according to coach Dan Campbell’s announcement on Monday.

“He will likely be down for a little bit. It’s not an easy situation for a player in his position to deal with, so we will handle it as it unfolds. However, there is a possibility that we will be without him for a while,” Campbell stated.

Montgomery sustained the injury at 7:34 of the second quarter during Detroit’s 20-6 victory over the Buccaneers on Sunday. It happened after he caught a short pass from quarterback Jared Goff and went down on the field. Although he was able to walk off on his own, he was subsequently ruled out for the remainder of the game.

The Lions (5-1) were already missing rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs, who has been sidelined for the past two weeks with a hamstring injury. Campbell expressed optimism on Monday about Gibbs’ availability for Sunday’s game against the Ravens, stating that he feels “a lot better” about his chances of playing.

Montgomery had a challenging game against the stern Buccaneers defense, gaining only 14 yards from six rushes. As a team, the Lions finished with just 40 rushing yards, marking their lowest total in a victorious game since their encounter with the Jaguars back in 2016.

In Week 2, Montgomery suffered a thigh injury that caused him to miss the Lions’ subsequent win over the Falcons. Displaying impressive form throughout the season, he has accumulated 385 yards and six touchdowns, making him Detroit’s leading rusher.

Report contributed by ESPN’s Eric Woodyard.