The Detroit Lions earned a first-round bye in the NFL Playoffs, and it'll be just what's needed to get a key member of the offense up and running.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, head coach Dan Campbell said that he's expecting star running back David Montgomery to suit up in the divisional round, a huge boost for the Lions' ground game.
Montgomery has been sidelined since mid-December when he sustained a knee injury against the Buffalo Bills. There was fear within the organization that the veteran running back would be out for the rest of the season and potentially the entirety of the playoffs. Montgomery missed the final three games of the schedule but it seems he's rested up enough to return for Detroit's first playoff game, which will be on Jan. 18 or Jan. 19.
Assuming he's back on the field by then, that would have given him over a month on the sideline while recuperating from the knee injury. Montgomery was not placed on IR after sustaining the injury as the team held out hope he'd be able to return for the playoffs.
This season, while splitting backfield duties with Jahmyr Gibbs, Montgomery featured in 14 games. He recorded 775 yards and scored 12 rushing touchdowns.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Dan Campbell Provides Encouraging Update on Lions RB David Montgomery Before Playoffs.