30 most insane stats in the NFL so far this season
By Nick Villano
20. Jahmyr Gibbs scores a receiving touchdown without a reception
Bizarre stat anomaly was caused by a lateral
Every once in a while, there’s a stat that looks like a mistake. It’s just the quirks with how the NFL files some of the stranger plays. Those trick plays tend to be mind games for NFL statisticians. This one was a doozy when the Detroit Lions took on the Arizona Cardinals in late September.
Lions running back Jahmyr Gibbs has been their big playmaker in the backfield. While David Montgomery plays a bruising style of football, Gibbs takes pride in never getting touched. That’s probably why this play worked so well.
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown caught a pass from quarterback Jared Goff for a 1-yard gain, then tossed the ball to Gibbs, who ran the ball 20 yards to the end zone. It’s the old school hook and ladder play. With 29 seconds left in the first half, this helped the Lions take a 20-7 lead.
So technically, the reception already happened when the ball touched Gibbs’ gloves. He didn’t make the receptions. Amon-Ra St. Brown did. He will go down in the record books as one reception for one yard on the play. Yet, Gibbs has 20 receiving yards and a touchdown despite never catching a ball during the contest. It’s the first time that statline has been repeated in more than four decades.