FOURTH DOWN: THE MONTGOMERY EXPANSION

After signing a two-year extension Saturday evening that will keep him in Detroit through the 2027 season, Montgomery stepped onto the field at AT&T Stadium Sunday afternoon in front of a national audience and ran for two touchdowns and 80 yards on just 12 carries for an average of 6.7 yards per carry. Not a bad 24 hours.

“Just to be in a place where I know I’m wanted and where I can show what I can really do, I’m very grateful,” Montgomery said after the game.

The two first-half touchdowns for Montgomery were the fifth and sixth of the season, which tied for the most rushing touchdowns ever recorded by a Lions player through the first five games of a season. Montgomery has a touchdown run in eight straight games now dating back to last season, also a franchise record.

Campbell said after the game that watching Montgomery run and break tackles and refuse to go down makes him wish he could put on the pads again and block for a back like him.

“He’s someone we want here long-term,” Campbell said of Montgomery after the game. “We just wanted to make it happen. We didn’t see ourselves in a year or two without having No. 5 here with us. We didn’t see it. It didn’t make sense. He’s too much of a part of He’s everything we are looking for and we are not going to let that man leave.”

Montgomery has played 19 games for the Lions and has rushed for a touchdown in 16 games (84.2 percent).

“He means as much as anyone (to this team),” Goff said of Montgomery. “He’s a really special player and a special teammate. One of my all-time favorites. I think I told him that. He’s a special guy.”

Goff said Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs should both be in the conversation because they are among the top five running backs in the NFL.