Category: Lions News

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bisch and Brown preview the Lions and Bears on Thanksgiving

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bisch and Brown preview the Lions and Bears on Thanksgiving

The Detroit Lions are fresh off their 9th straight and 10th win of the season! On Sunday, they beat the Indianapolis Colts by a score of 24 – 6 but it sure felt like that the Lions could have won by more. To break that game down, Russell Brown and Scott Bischoff are back for another episode of Bisch and Brown on the Detroit Lions Podcast!

On this episode, the guys discuss the following:

  • Lions beat the Colts 24 – 6 but doesn’t it feel like the Lions left some meat on the bone after this one?
  • Injuries are piling up for the Lions. What’s the latest with Taylor Decker, Carlton Davis, David Montgomery and others?
  • Lions vs. Bears Preview on Thanksgiving!

The guys get into all that and more! You can rate, review and subscribe to the Detroit Lions Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts and all other podcast platforms!

Kalif Raymond headed to Lions’ injured reserve, per report

The Lions are set to place WR/PR Kalif Raymond on injured reserve with his foot injury, per a report from Ian Rapoport

The foot injury suffered by Lions wide receiver and punt returner Kalif Raymond in the Week 12 win over the Colts is going to land the veteran on Detroit’s injured reserve. That’s per a report from Ian Rapoport, one which jibes with what Lions head coach Dan Campbell has talked about in regards to Raymond’s injury status.

This comes a day after Campbell noted that the team was waiting for a second opinion on Raymond and his injured foot. Raymond was carted off from the sidelines after falling awkwardly on a punt return inside Lucas Oil Field on Sunday.

Rapoport notes that Raymond could return before the end of the regular season and the injury is not considered to be season-ending.

Who replaces Raymond on punt returns?

Amon-Ra St. Brown took over as the punt returner in Raymond’s absence. After initially stating that St. Brown wasn’t going to return punts against the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving, Campbell subsequently brought up that it could be St. Brown,

“Yeah, we are. I’m still trying to think about that because part of me says let’s just use (St. Brown) Saint again because he is the most reliable, so we may just do that. You know what, we’re going to do that. We’re going to do that.”

The Lions do have other options, including rookie RB Sione Vaki, CB Khalil Dorsey, RB Craig Reynolds and the option of using practice squad WR Maurice Alexander, who could also fill Raymond’s role as a depth wide receiver.

Lions reveal their Thanksgiving uniforms won’t be leftovers

The Detroit Lions will not be wearing leftover uniforms on Thanksgiving, going with one of the new-style combos against the Bears

In some recent years, the Detroit Lions have taken the field on Thanksgiving wearing throwback uniforms. In 2024, there will be no leftovers inside Ford Field.

The Lions announced they will wear the “blueberries” uniform package: the new-style blue jerseys with solid blue pants and socks and the silver helmet topping it off.

Thursday’s game against the Chicago Bears will be the fourth time the Lions have gone with the blueberries in 2024. Detroit won all three prior occasions, in Weeks 1, 8 and 11.

 

Blueberries are on this year’s Thanksgiving table!

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— Detroit Lions (@detroitlions.bsky.social) November 27, 2024 at 10:03 AM

Dan Campbell says Emmanuel Moseley is ‘ready’ to contribute again on defense

Moseley only played on special teams in Week 12 but is poised for more against the Bears

Lions cornerback Emmanuel Moseley made his long-awaited return to game action Sunday against the Colts. It was Moseley’s first game since Week 1 of the 2023 season when, just two snaps into the season, he suffered a torn ACL for the second year in a row. Moseley also suffered a torn pectoral muscle during training camp.

Moseley was activated from injured reserve Friday and was active for the game Sunday, playing 15 snaps on special teams. Campbell talked about Moseley this week and was asked how close he is to contributing on defense.

“He’s ready,” Campbell said. “I think that was — this game (Sunday) was big. He hadn’t played in two years, and to be able to go out there and know that, ‘OK, I can trust this, I can trust my body.'”

Campbell added: “He went out there, competed, did a good job on teams for us, but yeah, I think he’s ready. I think he’s ready and we’re not afraid to use him.”

It was definitely big for Moseley, who also felt accomplished coming out of the game healthy. “It’s a blessing to be out there and just being out there with my brothers running around, mainly coming out of the game healthy. That was huge,” Moseley said, via MLive. “It’s been two years since I’ve accomplished that. It was great.”

Lions vs Bears: Tuesday injury report and medical analysis

Lions vs Bears: Tuesday injury report and medical analysis ahead of Week 13

Thanksgiving is rapidly approaching, so the Lions who suffered injuries last game will need to see a rapid recovery in order to play vs the Bears. See my postgame report for videos of all the injuries.

On Monday, Dan Campbell specifically mentioned Kalif Raymond, Carlton Davis, and Taylor Decker as players whose game status is uncertain.

On Tuesday, Campbell expressed no change in optimism regarding the status of those three. He also gave many other injury updates which I will include below.

Both the Monday and Tuesday designations are estimates as the Lions only had walkthroughs.

DETROIT LIONS

Amon-Ra St. Brown WR – knee (NP LP)

St. Brown appeared to injure his right knee area on a punt return in the 4th quarter last game. He was grabbing at his lateral distal knee and upper calf area. He finished the game with no obvious debility which is reassuring. Hopefully, this is just a mild contusion or muscle strain.

Dan Campbell on Tuesday stated: “I feel pretty good about Saint”.  Expect him to play on Thanksgiving.

David Montgomery RB, shoulder (NP LP)

After a hard hit to the right shoulder, Montgomery exited the last game. The injury could be a simple contusion or a mild AC joint sprain. Good news though as all signs point towards him playing against his former team on Thursday.

Dan Campbell on Tuesday stated: “I feel pretty good about David”.

Carlton Davis CB, knee/thumb (NP NP)

The thumb is still on the report after a fracture two weeks ago, but the main concern is the new knee injury suffered last game. He took a bad step and hurt his left knee area. Video did not show anything obvious and the ACL is fine. I’m suspecting a mild muscle/tendon strain to the posterior knee.

While the early signals are that the injury is not major, the 2x NP suggests he’s likely out vs the Bears.

Taylor Decker OT, knee (NP NP)

Decker appeared to suffer a mild right MCL sprain and mild right high ankle sprain last game on the same play. While not severe, even a mild version of these injuries could keep him out on Thursday. His status for the game may depend on how he feels on Wednesday.

Kalif Raymond WR, foot (NP NP)

Raymond’s left foot came down hard which is concerning for a foot or toe sprain. A Lisfranc or turf toe are possible among other things. While the injury is expected to keep him out a while, it is good that there has been no report that this is a serious season-ender. He will almost certainly be out this week with the main question being whether he goes on IR before Thanksgiving.

Dan Campbell on Tuesday stated: “We are still waiting on a second opinion….The first word we got was positive.”

DJ Reader DT, illness (NP FP)

Reader played 60% of defensive snaps last game which was his highest percentage of the year. He may have come down with an illness after the game. The FP on Tuesday means the illness is no longer an issue and he’ll very likely play.

Terrion Arnold CB – groin (FP FP)

After missing one game with the groin, the 2x FP is great news that the injury was mild and he will likely play on Thanksgiving. With Davis likely out, getting Arnold back helps a lot.

NOTABLES

Emmanuel Moseley CB

After missing all year with a pec tear, Moseley saw his first action last game with 15 special teams snaps. With Davis likely out and Kindle Vildor struggling last game, Moseley might see some defensive snaps vs the Bears.

Ennis Rakestraw CB

With his second hamstring issue of the year, Rakestraw was placed on IR last week.

OTHER LIONS ON IR

Aidan Hutchinson DE – starter
Alex Anzalone LB – starter
Derrick Barnes LB – starter
Marcus Davenport DE – starter
John Cominsky DE/DT
Kyle Peko DT
Jalen Reeves-Maybin LB
Ifeatu Melifonwu S

CHICAGO BEARS

Elijah Hicks S, ankle (NP NP)

This safety started for five straight games before hurting his ankle and missing last game. The 2x NP means he’s likely out.

Ryan Bates LG, concussion (LP LP)

Bates has missed most of the season with a shoulder injury. He got a concussion two weeks ago and missed the last game. With no FP’s yet, his status for Thanksgiving is uncertain and will likely be determined at Wednesday’s practice.

Lions are releasing EDGE James Houston ahead of Week 13

It just didn’t work out for Houston after a spectacular 6 weeks in his rookie season

The Detroit Lions are letting go of EDGE James Houston ahead of the Week 13 matchup with the Chicago Bears. Numerous reports of Houston’s release were confirmed by Lions head coach Dan Campbell.

It’s a disappointing end to three star-crossed seasons in Detroit for Houston. A late-round pick out of Jackson State, Houston initially failed to make Detroit’s roster as a rookie in 2022. But midway through the season, Houston earned reps and quickly proved a very effective pass rusher.

Houston stampeded to eight sacks in six weeks to cap the 2022 season. He wasn’t able to sustain the success, unfortunately.

He played his way down the depth chart the following summer, and Houston then suffered a severe ankle injury playing special teams early in 2023.

After another uninspiring offseason, Houston was a surprise to make the Lions in 2024. His inability to generate pressure in limited reps led to the EDGE-needy Lions pulling the plug after the Week 12 win over the Colts

“It just didn’t (work out),” Lions coach Dan Campbell said. “We had James up for a number of games, came back off the injury and got back, and it just never quite worked out. And look, wish him the best of luck. Sometimes you just need a fresh start, and this could be great for him.”

Amon-Ra St. Brown might not be the Lions punt returner on Thanksgiving

Amon-Ra St. Brown won’t be the Lions punt returner in Week 13 against the Bears after filling in for injured Kalif Raymond in Week 12

When Lions punt return specialist Kalif Raymond departed Sunday’s win in Indianapolis with a foot injury, the next man up to field punts was All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. For a team already ravaged by injuries, seeing such a critical piece of the offense playing in that role caused some serious trepidation.

That worry proved valid, considering St. Brown appeared to suffer a minor knee injury on a punt return, one that kept him ruled out of Monday’s practice.

In his weekly radio spot with 97.1 The Ticket in Detroit, Lions head coach Dan Campbell indicated that St. Brown was the best option at the time. However, Campbell admitted the Lions will have a different punt returner for Thursday’s NFC North matchup in Ford Field against the Chicago Bears.

“Now that we’re in another week, we’re gonna have probably a different returner,” Campbell told the hosts. “And if we need Saint (St. Brown) in a critical then we’ll use him. But that was really why he was in there, because he’s sure-handed and we know he’ll get the job done.”

Detroit does have some intriguing options to replace Raymond, who could be out for some time with the foot injury. Cornerback Khalil Dorsey has return experience in both college and the NFL, though primarily running back kicks, not punts. Rookie RB Sione Vaki and vet RB Craig Reynolds each got ample reps in training camp as punt returners, too.

Update:

Campbell has since walked back his earlier comments. During his press conference on Tuesday, Campbell stated,

“Yeah, we are. I’m still trying to think about that because part of me says let’s just use (St. Brown) Saint again because he is the most reliable, so we may just do that. You know what, we’re going to do that. We’re going to do that.”

 

 

Jameson Williams won’t be charged for concealed weapons case

Lions WR Jameson Williams won’t be charged for concealed weapons case related to a traffic stop

Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams will not face any criminal charges stemming from a traffic stop where two concealed weapons were found in the car in which he was a passenger. The local prosecutor found no proper evidence to charge Williams with a gun possession crime.

The Lions wideout was riding with his brother when they were pulled over by the Detroit Police Department. Each had a weapon in the car that was registered and licensed, but Jameson Williams did not have the proper concealed carry permit. His gun was under his seat.

After a long discussion with the officers at the scene, Williams was released without any charges. That should have been the end of the case, but a Detroit media outlet pushed the Detroit Police Department to investigate if Williams was released due to the privilege of being a member of the Lions.

In a statement, the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office said,

“Because the case law is silent regarding the specific issue, and the legislative intent of the CPL statute does not support charges under these facts, no charges will issue in this matter, and the warrant is denied.”

The Detroit Police Department also released a statement via ESPN,

 

End of story.

Pro Bowl voting is open and you can select Lions players to earn the honor

Pro Bowl voting is open and you can select Lions players to earn the honor

The Pro Bowl doesn’t exist as an actual football game anymore, but the honor of being a Pro Bowler is still an impressive accomplishment for players. The honorees will play a flag football game pitting the AFC against the NFC and participate in other fan-friendly activities.

There are several Detroit Lions who are worthy of Pro Bowl recognition. The squads are chosen by fan voting, so you can help select your favorite Lions to participate and get the recognition of being a Pro Bowler.

From the press release,

The reimagined NFL Pro Bowl Games presented by Verizon are back! The NFL will return to Orlando to celebrate the league’s best players as they compete in a multi-day AFC vs. NFC competition with skills showdowns and a highly anticipated flag football game.

Fans can vote for their favorite players via NFL.com. Vote early and often for your favorite Lions!

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Terrion Arnold back at Lions practice but several starters sidelined

Terrion Arnold back at Lions practice but several starters sidelined after suffering injuries on Sunday

In this abbreviated work week, Monday becomes Wednesday on the Detroit Lions practice calendar. That means the injury and participation report comes out on Monday afternoon instead of the typical Wednesday, with the Lions hosting the Chicago Bears at 12:30 on Thursday.

The good news first. Starting cornerback Terrion Arnold was back as a full participant in Monday’s practice–which was a walkthrough. Arnold missed Sunday’s game in Indianapolis with a groin injury suffered in practice last week. It’s a good sign that the first-round rookie practiced without any limited designation.

Now for the bad news. All of the following players were listed as out:

LT Taylor Decker – knee
CB Carlton Davis – knee/thumb
RB David Montgomery – shoulder
WR Kalif Raymond – foot
DT DJ Reader – illness
WR Amon-Ra St. Brown – knee

Of those injuries, only Raymond appears to be a long-term injury. With the short prep week, however, it’s not a great development to have so many key players dealing with injuries that are enough to keep them from practicing.