Tag: Brodric Martin

Lions vs Jaguars: Final injury report and medical analysis

Lions vs Jaguars: Final injury report and medical analysis for the Week 11 matchup in Detroit

For the Detroit Lions who are mathematically at >99% to make the playoffs, the balance of playing vs resting players is rightfully getting nudged towards the side that helps with playoff performance.

With an 8-1 record, the Lions have earned the opportunity to rest minor playable injuries and employ selective load management. That strategy may have been a factor in the decision to sideline Taylor Decker last week and Sam LaPorta this week. There is still the extremely valuable #1 seed bye up for grabs so keeping the foot on the regular season gas does have playoff benefits.

The Jaguars are on the opposite side of the mathematical spectrum with a <1% chance of making the playoffs. But they may end up with the same answers as the Lions to the “play vs rest” question.

While the Lions are focusing on the 2025 playoffs, the Jaguars are focusing on the 2026 playoffs. Key long-term players like Trevor Lawrence, who is considering season-ending AC joint surgery, may decide to sacrifice the present for a better future.

During the week, the Lions had a new minor injury to Carlton Davis who broke his thumb, and an upgrade with Taylor Decker’s shoulder. Overall, the Lions active roster is in good health.

The Jaguars have multiple offensive skill players dealing with injuries including their #1 QB, #1 RB, and #1-3 WR’s. The team’s injury report is lengthy with many limited practices, but most of the players will be in.

DETROIT LIONS

Carlton Davis CB (hand UL LP FP – In)

Davis said he broke his thumb in practice but will play through with a cast. No concerns here, but a repeat 2-interception performance will be more challenging.

Ben Niemann LB (ankle UL UL NP – Questionable)

Presumably, Niemann hurt his ankle in practice. An NP on Friday means he’s likely out on Sunday. He played 19% of defensive snaps last game which was 4th amongst linebackers.

Sam LaPorta TE (shoulder NP NP NP – Out)

LaPorta suffered a left AC joint sprain last game which Dan Campbell has called “day-to-day”. Letting him rest is a good idea not just for the AC joint but in case of any residuals from his previous injuries this year:
• hamstring (preseason)
• right low ankle sprain (week 3)
• possible right knee hyperextension (week 7)

Taylor Decker OT (shoulder LP FP FP – In)

Decker suffered a rotator cuff strain in practice last week and missed the last game. Good news that it is minor and he’ll be playing on Sunday.

Malcolm Rodriguez LB (ankle LP FP FP – In)

After missing two games with a left ankle sprain, Rodriguez is ready to go.

Brodric Martin DT (knee FP FP FP – Out)

After a right knee hyperextension in preseason, Martin had his 21-day practice window opened on October 30. Expect him to be moved to the active roster next week by November 20.

Ifeatu Melifonwu S (ankle/finger FP LP NP – Out)

The downgrade is a concern. Hopefully, it is only related to the finger injury and not an aggravation of a suspected Achilles tendonitis. Defensive backs can play through finger dislocations or fractures (see Carlton Davis) so the finger shouldn’t impact his timeline.

Melifonwu’s practice window opened November 6 which means he should move to the active roster by November 27, the day before Thanksgiving.

Emmanuel Moseley CB (pec FP FP FP – Out)

Recovering from his torn pec in August, Moseley’s 21-day practice window opened November 6. Like Melifonwu, Moseley should move to the active roster before Thanksgiving.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Trevor Lawrence QB (shoulder NP NP NP – Out)

A left, non-throwing, AC joint sprain will keep the Jaguars’ starting QB out for a second straight game. He may even decide to call it a season and get AC joint surgery. Mac Jones, who was 14/22 for 111 yards last week in a 12-7 loss to the Vikings, will start again.

Tank Bigsby RB (ankle NP NP NP – Out)

The Jaguars #1 RB with 519 yards has been dealing with an ankle issue for 2-3 weeks and aggravated it last game. Expect Travis Etienne, who has 298 yards, to get the bulk of the carries.

Maason Smith DT (ankle LP LP LP – Questionable)

This 2nd-round rookie has missed the last four games.

Keilan Robinson RB (toe FP FP FP – Questionable)

With 3x FP, this 5th-round rookie should be available, but he has yet to play this year.

Ezra Cleveland LG (ankle LP LP LP – Questionable)

This starting LG missed the last two games but might be ready to return this Sunday.

Brian Thomas WR (chest LP LP LP – In)

The Jaguars #1 WR with 607 yards hurt his ribs two weeks ago but has been playing through. He only had 2 catches for 12 yards last game though.

Gabe Davis WR (shoulder LP LP LP – In)

Davis hurt his shoulder three weeks ago but did return to play last week with 1 catch for 19 yards. He is the team’s 4th-leading receiver with 236 yards on the year.

Josh Hines-Allen DE (shoulder LP LP LP – In)

This star pass-rusher has five sacks on the year.

Blake Hance OL (knee LP LP LP – In)

Hance started last game at LG and may start again if Ezra Cleveland can’t go.

Brandon Scherff RG (knee LP LP LP – In)

This starting RG has not missed a game this year.

D’Ernest Johnson RB (hamstring LP LP LP – In)

Johnson is 3rd on the team with 114 rushing yards this year.

Tyson Campbell CB (shoulder LP LP LP – In)

Campbell missed a few games with a hamstring earlier in the year but has started the last four games.

Daniel Thomas S (hamstring LP LP LP – In)

This backup has not played a defensive snap the past four games.

NOTABLES

Christian Kirk, the Jaguars 2nd-leading WR, was placed on IR two weeks ago with a broken clavicle.

Lions rule out Sam LaPorta for Week 11, Carlton Davis will play

Lions rule out TE Sam LaPorta for Week 11, while CB Carlton Davis is among the wounded who will play against the Jaguars

Detroit Lions ight end Sam LaPorta will not play against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 11. While that was expected ever since LaPorta suffered a shoulder injury in the Lions Week 10 win in Houston, it’s now official.

LaPorta was the only player on the active roster ruled out by the Lions for Sunday’s game. Reserve linebacker Ben Niemann is listed as questionable with an ankle injury that kept him from practicing on Friday.

Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, cornerback Carlton Davis and left tackle Taylor Decker were all full participants in Friday’s practice and carry no injury designation for the visit from Jacksonville. Decker and Rodriguez missed last week’s games, while Davis popped up on the injury report with a hand issue.

All three players who are on injured reserve and designated for return remain out: Brodric Martin, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Emmanuel Moseley.

Lions post-Week 10 injury report and medical analysis

Lions post-Week 10 injury report and medical analysis after the win in Houston and getting ready for Week 11 and the Jaguars

I just returned from Houston where I voluntarily and eagerly overdosed on smoked brisket and Tex-Mex fajitas. Conversely, I involuntarily and begrudgingly overdosed on watching interceptions. At least the final result was a panacea.

Other notes from the stadium:

  • The Texans Battle Red helmets looked fantastic with the mirror red finish. The Lions silver helmets look much shinier and sparkly in person than they do on TV. With the Lions blueberries, this could have been a gorgeous color rush game but alas.
  • The roof was open for only the second time since 2021 which afforded a nice view of the moon and the fireworks. Fortunately, there was not even a hint of wind as that could easily have changed the outcome of the game with how tight Jake Bates’ field goals were to the uprights.
  • Credit to the Texans fans for being raucous all game and the Lions fans for bringing the heat in the fourth quarter. It was an excellent Sunday night atmosphere all the way around.

The game was overall a very healthy one for the Lions. Nothing live at the game jumped out to me from an injury standpoint. There were some minor concerns upon TV review, but the initial injury report is reassuring. The main concern was Sam LaPorta and there is early good news with him.

DETROIT LIONS

Sam LaPorta TE (NP) shoulder

LaPorta suffered a left AC joint sprain. Dan Campbell on Wednesday called it “day-to-day”. If this was the playoffs or a significant regular season game, I would fully expect him to play. Since it’s not, I expect him to miss at least this Sunday vs the Jaguars. There is no long-term concern though.

Taylor Decker OT (LP) shoulder

Decker stated he had a rotator cuff strain in practice last week. He has a history of shoulder labrum surgery in 2017 to the same side. Fortunately, the signs are that this is a minor, short-term issue. Dan Campbell on Wednesday stated “I feel better about having Decker this week… I think he’s going to be able to make it”.

Malcolm Rodriguez LB (LP) ankle

After two straight weeks of NP’s, upgrading to an LP on Wednesday is a good sign that he may be ready to go after missing two games.

Brodric Martin DT (FP) knee

After being on IR all year with a right knee hyperextension, Martin had his 21-day practice window opened on October 30. Expect him to be out for the Jaguars game and moved to the active roster early next week.

Ifeatu Melifonwu S (FP) ankle

Coming off IR with a suspected Achilles tendonitis, Melifonwu’s practice window opened November 6. He’s very likely out on Sunday but should be moved to the active roster before Thanksgiving.

Emmanuel Moseley CB (FP) pec

Recovering from his torn pec in August, Moseley’s 21-day practice window opened November 6. Like Melifonwu, he’s also likely out this Sunday but will move to the active roster before Thanksgiving.

Za’Darius Smith DE (FP) personal

Smith got a personal bye week after the trade and should be raring to go this week.

NOTABLES

Graham Glasgow in the first drive vs the Texans landed on his head and got up shaking his head. This was not shown on TV but I noticed it at the game. Fortunately, there has been no concussion diagnosis.

Carlton Davis in the 3rd quarter got kneed hard in the back of the right lower leg and limped off the field. This was likely just a contusion as he returned to play. Direct impact to that area can lead to a much worse outcome as we saw with Aidan Hutchinson’s tib/fib.

Alim McNeill appeared to be having right TMJ (temporomandibular joint) pain in the 3rd quarter. I reviewed video of the play as well as multiple previous plays of his and didn’t see any trauma to that area. Possibly, he just bit down hard and injured that joint. He was able to return to the game and should be fine going forward. Most TMJ pains will resolve on their own without significant treatment. Injecting the joint is an option to relieve pain and inflammation.

Terrion Arnold, on the Lions final defensive play, had his right ankle area banged a couple times which left him limping off the field. Good to see him unlisted which means it’s likely just a contusion.

JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

Trevor Lawrence QB (NP) left shoulder

Lawrence missed last game with a non-throwing AC joint sprain and will also miss the Lions game. Mac Jones was 14/22 for 111 yards last game vs the Vikings.

Tank Bigsby RB (NP) ankle

Bigsby is the Jaguars #1 RB this year with 519 yards. He has been having an ankle issue the past 2-3 weeks and aggravated it last game. With an NP, there is a good chance he’ll get some time off which would mean Travis Etienne Jr. (298 yards) likely takes the bulk of the carries.

Brian Thomas WR (LP) chest

Thomas, the Jaguars #1 WR, hurt his ribs two weeks ago but hasn’t missed a game. Expect him to play on Sunday.

NOTABLES

Christian Kirk, the Jaguars 2nd-leading WR, is on IR with a clavicle fracture suffered two weeks ago.

Here is the full report:

 

Za’Darius Smith gets his Lions jersey number from a new teammate

Za’Darius Smith gets his familiar No. 99 jersey with the Lions and Brodric Martin changes his number

When new Lions defensive Za’Darius Smith makes his debut in Detroit’s Week 10 game in Houston on Sunday night, the veteran will be wearing his familiar jersey number. Smith, acquired in a trade on Tuesday from the Cleveland Browns, is listed on the Lions’ official roster as No. 99.

That number wasn’t immediately available when Smith joined the team. Defensive tackle Brodric Martin has been wearing No. 99, though Martin has yet to play in 2024. Martin, who wore No. 98 as a rookie in 2023, is now listed as No. 96. Injured DT Kyle Peko, who is out for the season, previously wore the 96 jersey.

No word on if Smith gave up anything to acquire the 99 jersey from Martin. The new No. 96 is in his second week of practicing after being designated to return from I.R.

Dan Campbell updates Brodric Martin’s injury progress back to the Lions lineup

Martin has been out all season, but Campbell offered a timeline for when the big DT will be back

The Detroit Lions defensive line has been devastated by injuries recently. After losing several starters–and then some replacement starters–it was good to hear about some injury progress on the Detroit defensive front.

Head coach Dan Campbell provided that on Friday with an update on second-year defensive tackle Brodric Martin. The reserve nose tackle has been sidelined all season, on injured reserve with a knee injury suffered in the final preseason game.

Martin’s activation clock began this week, meaning the Lions have designated Martin to return from I.R. and have 21 days to either activate him or lose him for the remainder of the season. Campbell talked about what he’s seen in the first few days of Martin’s return to practices.

“It’s hard to say. I mean, it was good to see him out there. He looks like he’s fresh, he certainly has fresh legs. So, really that’s the best I can give you. I mean, it’s good to get him out there, it’s good to continue the development of him, to be able to go against our one O-line.”

Campbell continued, offering something of a more concrete timeline,

“He’s out there going against those guys, and then it’s just a matter of, man, do we feel like after this three weeks he can help us, do we feel like he can really help us, is he healthy enough to help, how is he relative to the rest of the guys on the roster, even practice squad? That’s what it’ll be.”

The “after this three weeks” is a telling comment. With Martin’s clock beginning just this week, Campbell’s phrasing makes it seem as if the Lions are willing to wait until the deadline before activating the big defensive tackle. That would push Martin back to being out until Detroit’s Week 12 trip to Indianapolis to play the Colts.

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Lions vs Packers: Wednesday injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Packers: Wednesday injury report medical analysis on both teams, including Jared Goff, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jordan Love

The Lions and Packers will be dueling for first place this Sunday. While both team’s QBs suffered injuries last game, the bigger question mark is the status of Jordan Love.

Love left the last game due to a groin injury and did not practice today. He is also still wearing a knee brace related to an MCL sprain suffered in week one.

The Lions came out of the Titans game very healthy after dodging a severe injury to Malcolm Rodriguez. Many Lions got rest days today which could be a routine precaution or related to previous injuries that I will reference below.

DETROIT LIONS

Jared Goff QB (NP) ankle

In the 1st quarter, Goff suffered a mild inversion injury to his right ankle which can cause a low ankle sprain. He didn’t miss any plays and only left in garbage time.

A rest day was expected and is not a concern. He might get some extra tape but should be a full-go vs the Packers.

Malcolm Rodriguez LB (NP) ankle

Early in the 1st quarter on punt coverage, a Titans player crashed into his left ankle from the side which can cause a high ankle sprain, medial ankle sprain, or a fracture. Fortunately, reports are that the injury is minor and not a high ankle sprain. While he likely won’t play this week, he might be back next week.

Josh Paschal DE (NP) illness

Paschal did not practice all last week and missed the Titans game due to an illness. For an illness to last this long is slightly unusual, but fortunately, early reports are it is minor. Most importantly, the illness isn’t a recurrence of the life-threatening melanoma he had in 2018.

Brodric Martin DT (FP) knee

Martin suffered a right knee hyperextension on August 24. Good to see that his 21-day practice window has opened with an FP. We could see him moved to the active roster at any point, even as soon as this weekend. More likely he’ll use up most of his practice window before getting activated.

Taylor Decker OT (NP) chest

Not sure what to make of the chest designation but I’m not too concerned at this time. The pec and ribs are in the chest area but are usually listed as such. There is worry for internal organ injury (typically lungs) with a chest designation but there were no signs of a serious injury during the game.

I reviewed all his plays in the 3rd quarter and didn’t notice anything. He didn’t play in garbage time of the fourth quarter.

Sione Vaki RB (NP) knee

Video review showed that he came up limping on punt coverage in the 4th quarter. He was not in frame for most of the play. The limp suggested a right leg injury. He did not go down after the play which hopefully means it’s minor.

Frank Ragnow C (NP) rest

Ragnow has had a chronic toe issue for years and has gotten regular rest days since then.

Kevin Zeitler OG (NP) rest

Zeitler missed the Cowboys game three weeks ago due to a groin/hip issue but has played the last two games. He also had a shoulder issue in training camp.

Levi Onwuzurike DT (NP) rest

Onwuzurike has made a remarkable recovery from L5-S1 lumbar fusion in October 2022. Getting regular rest days may help keep his back healthy.

DJ Reader DT (NP) rest

Reader had a right quad tendon tear in December 2023. He made his first appearance in game two and has been reliable so far. Rest days might be a good idea to keep his leg strong.

Graham Glasgow OG (NP) rest

Glasgow had a minor knee issue back in week two.

NOTABLES

Kalif Raymond

On a day he won special teams player of the week, Raymond had his head slammed onto the turf in the 4th quarter. He did pass the sideline concussion evaluation and seemed fine after the game. Good news that there are no signs of delayed concussion symptoms.

GREEN BAY PACKERS

Jordan Love QB (NP) groin

The MRI this week did not show anything severe which suggests this won’t be a long-term injury. Whether he plays vs the Lions is up in the air and likely comes down to many factors including severity and risk tolerance.

Lean in:

  • This is an important game in the division.
  • The bye after the game allows for extra recovery time.

Lean out:

  • The groin isn’t an area that can be effectively protected with a brace or tape like an ankle or knee. Thus an aggravation during the game is certainly possible.
  • He’s still recovering from his week one MCL sprain and wears a knee brace.
  • It’s still early in the season so risking an aggravation to the groin or MCL may not be worth it.
  • Malik Willis has won two games as a starter this year beating the Colts and Titans.

Jaire Alexander CB (NP) knee

This starting CB played 100% of snaps last game. An MRI this week was negative which suggests he has a good chance of playing vs the Lions.

Josh Jacobs RB (NP) ankle

Jacobs has been an impact player for the Packers this year with 667 rushing yards. He hurt his ankle this past Sunday but he’s expected to be ready for the Lions.

Quay Walker LB (FP) concussion

Walker missed last game due to concussion but is on track to play Sunday.

Josh Myers C (NP) wrist

Myers is the starting center and played all snaps last game.

Rasheed Walker OT (NP) knee

Walker is the starting LT and played all snaps last game.

Elgton Jenkins G (NP) glute

Jenkins had the glute injury before last game and still played.

Corey Ballentine DB (LP) ankle

This CB has had minimal defensive snaps this year. He missed last game but may be on track to be back this Sunday.

Kenny Clark NT (LP) toe

Evan Williams S (NP) hamstring

Devonte Wyatt DT (LP) ankle

Lions bye week medical status report and outlook for return

Lions bye week medical status report and outlook for return for players like Frank Ragnow, Derrick Barnes, Ifeatu Melifonwu and more

With four games in the books and entering the bye week, it’s a good time to recap where the Lions are at from a medical standpoint. Overall, despite some injuries, the Lions are in good shape coming out of the bye.

Not listed here are a couple pending concerns from the Seahawks game in Kerby Joseph and Carlton Davis (see my postgame article for details).

MAJOR LOSSES

Marcus Davenport, DE

Davenport missed game two due to a groin injury and game four due to a left elbow injury. The elbow is expected to be a season-ender.

Signed to a 1-year contract as a free agent, the Lions were hoping that Davenport would solidify the edge position opposite Aidan Hutchinson.

With Davenport out, Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal, and James Houston will have increased opportunities.

Derrick Barnes, LB

This versatile LB took a direct impact on his right knee in game three, which may have caused a hyperextension, MCL sprain, and possibly more. He was placed on IR after the game.

The earliest he could return is Week 9 vs the Packers, but he’s expected to be out longer than that with the possibility it’s even a season-ender.

With Barnes out, Malcolm Rodriguez and Ben Niemann saw a big increase in snaps at the LB position against the Seahawks.

MINOR LOSSES

Frank Ragnow, C

This 2nd-team All-Pro is a major player, but he’s in the minor category because his left pec injury is not expected to be a long-term issue. He hurt the pec early in game three and missed game four.

The diagnosis is a partially-torn pec which translates to a grade 1 or 2 strain. If the strain is mild and does not involve the tendon, Ragnow could be back after the bye vs the Cowboys. Even if a longer recovery is needed, I would not expect him to be out much longer than that. He was not placed on IR which suggests an injury of less than four weeks.

To fill Ragnow’s void, Graham Glasgow moved from LG to C, and Kayode Awosika inserted at LG. Both played well against the Seahawks.

Ifeatu Melifonwu, S

A persistent ankle issue landed Melifonwu on IR before game four. The injury suffered likely in the second preseason game on August 17 was not initially expected to be a long-term issue, otherwise the Lions would have put him on IR much sooner. Melifonwu’s earliest possible return is in week nine vs the Packers.

If starters Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph stay healthy, Melifonwu’s absence is not a major problem. But if either go down, it would be valuable to have Melifonwu who made numerous splash plays in the second half of last season.

REINFORCEMENTS COMING SOON

Brodric Martin, DT

This 2023 3rd-round pick hyperextended his right knee on August 24 and was placed on IR at the 53-man cutdown. This means he could return to the team at any time now although Dan Campbell’s comments suggest he is not quite ready yet. I would expect him to start practicing sometime in the next three weeks.

With the loss of Davenport for the year, having Martin available on the defensive line will give the Lions more flexibility if they choose to play Levi Onwuzurike at the DE position.

Christian Mahogany, OG

The Lions 6th-round pick missed all of camp due to mononucleosis and started the season on NFI (non-football-injury). He is now eligible to return anytime and Dan Campbell says he is close.

His mono was likely diagnosed around July 20 and is typically a 3-4 week recovery unless there are complications like persistent splenomegaly. He was able to resume training before the start of the regular season which was a good sign.

Mahogany’s return is dependent on his strength, conditioning, and mental readiness. For a rookie who missed all of camp, the mental game might be the limiting factor.

I’m not expecting Mahogany to play much of a role this season, but any injuries to the guys ahead of him could change things in a hurry.

LONG RANGE HOPEFULS

Emmanuel Moseley, CB

After two straight ACL tears, Moseley tore his pec around August 5 this year. Assuming this was a complete rupture, expect a return around Thanksgiving if he follows the same 16-week timeline as CJ Gardner-Johnson of last year.

John Cominsky, DT/DE

An MCL tear on July 30 was complicated enough to require surgery. The initial estimated recovery was 5-6 months which would mean a return in January-February. Optimistically, the fact that Cominsky made the initial 53-man roster before being placed on IR means the Lions think there is a chance of a return this year.

Lions injury breakdown: Brodric Martin’s right knee

Examining Lions DT Brodric Martin and the knee injury he suffered against the Steelers

Brodric Martin, the Lions 3rd round pick in 2023, hurt his right knee late in the 3rd quarter of the final preseason game vs the Steelers. This is an important preseason for Martin who the Lions hope can take a 2nd year leap in productivity.

The injury video is obscured, but you can see Martin take a hard step onto his right leg as a Steeler lineman is pushing him. This mechanism could cause a knee hyperextension which can result in a bone bruise and knee ligament sprains.

On the field, the Lions’ medical appeared to do a Lachman test to check the ACL, which Martin presumably passed. Dan Campbell postgame confirmed a knee hyperextension. MRI likely will be done to check for knee ligament or cartilage injury.

INJURY DATE: 8/24/24

SUSPECTED DIAGNOSIS: Right knee hyperextension with bone bruise

PROGNOSIS: Based on limited video and initial reports, I suspect the hyperextension is mild. There is a fair chance he could play in the opener but could miss 1-2 games depending on how the knee responds. Assuming no surprises on MRI, this is a minor setback and I don’t expect any long-term issues. For comparison, Sam LaPorta did not miss any games last year after his week 18 left knee hyperextension and subsequently performed well in the playoffs.

Detroit Lions News, Notes and Thoughts from Preseason Game 1

Detroit Lions News, Notes and Thoughts from Preseason Game 1 from Lions Wire’s Russell Brown

In a wet and rainy game against the New York Giants, the Detroit Lions lost 14-3 in their first preseason game. We can equate this loss to the Lions not playing their starters but the weather was certainly a factor for both teams. We saw the weather cause muffed punts and players slipping on attempted tackles.

But these aren’t excuses and at halftime, Lions head coach Dan Campbell didn’t make excuses. He acknowledged the weather and needing better execution from the offense. Talking with Lions reporter Dannie Rogers  asked about the offense and he said, “Look offensively, we’ve got to make some plays. We’ve got a wet one here but when we need some plays, we need to make some plays.”

Offensive Notes

It was an uneventful night for quarterback Nate Sudfeld. He wasn’t efficient with the ball in his hands and as he extended plays beyond the pocket, he would hold the ball for too long. Rather than checking the ball down, running it or throw it away, he’d get outside of the pocket and still get sacked.

As Campbell said, they needed the offense to make some plays. So he turned the football to quarterback Hendon Hooker in the second half and this led to some plays being made. On his second drive with the offense, Hooker led the Lions 88 yards down the field on a 14-play drive.

This drive stalled when Hooker had a slight overthrow to Donovan Peoples-Jones in the corner of the end zone on the 3rd down. It was great effort by Peoples-Jones, who did his best to replicate an Odell Beckham Jr., one-handed catch in Metlife Stadium but he wasn’t able to secure the pass. Ultimately, this led to the Lions going for it on 4th-and-goal and not getting it.

On both drives that Hooker played in the 3rd quarter, his mobility really stood out. He ran the ball 4 times for 34 yards. His longest run was for 16 yards and he trucked a Giants defender on his way for the first down.

Throwing the ball, Hooker finished 5-for-9 for 36 yards and he showed good rapport with UDFA receiver Isaiah Williams. They connected on consecutive plays during the 14-play drive in the 3rd quarter. After that drive, Hooker came out of the game and was being evaluated for a concussion. This led to Sudfeld coming back into the game and finishing the 4th quarter.

Outside of the quarterbacks, the rest of the offense was a mixed bag. Some players stood out, and others needed a lot of work. On the offensive line, there appeared to be some miscommunications that led to defensive linemen being unblocked, or defensive backs piercing into the backfield to wrap up running backs before they could make a move.

The one running back that looked pretty good was Sione Vaki. His first carry went for 15 yards and he made an impressive cut to gain the additional yardage. He finished with 29 yards rushing on four carries. If he’s able to stack performances like this, he could emerge as the 3rd running back for this offense.

That said, I’d still be surprised if Craig Reynolds doesn’t make the roster. Despite only having 11 yards on four carries, Reynolds had consecutive runs that led to 8 yards during the Lions’ second drive of the game. Despite having three straight carries on that drive, Reynolds played on the punt team and he ran down to make the tackle.

Defensive Notes

While there were only a few bright spots on offense, the Lions defense played well for the most part. Early in the game, the Lions defense saw big plays made from rookie Ennis Rakestraw and free agent acquisition Amik Robertson.

On the opening kickoff, Robertson made the first tackle of the game. In addition to that, he had a pass breakup on that opening drive. To top that off, Ennis Rakestraw made a great tackle on 3rd down and this led to the Giants punting on their opening drive.

For the defensive line, we saw plenty of James Houston in the first half. He did have two tackles and a QB hit. There was a moment in that first half where he got away with hitting Drew Lock late near the sideline. As for other defensive linemen, it was a strong showing for Nate Lynn, Isaac Ukwu and Brodric Martin.

Leading the way, Martin had four total tackles and two pass deflections. He almost had a sack but he let Tommy DeVito slip through his hands. Fortunately, Nate Lynn was there and he made the sack on DeVito.

It was a strong first showing for Lynn as he had two sacks, two QB hits and a sack. The Lions defense only recorded two sacks against the Giants and the other sack was made by Ukwu. He showed decent bend while running the arc to bring down Drew Lock.

Other bright spots on the defense were linebackers DaRon Gilbert and Malik Jefferson. Starting with Jefferson, he had a strong showing in the second half with six tackles and a tackle for loss. He made some tackles on special teams as well.

As for DaRon Gilbert, what a fun story he’d be for the Lions. He’s undrafted out of Northern Illinois but a Detroit native that played at Birmingham Brother Rice High School in Michigan. He started getting in a groove in the second quarter with good positioning and multiple tackles. If he made the Lions 53-man roster, he’d have the entire city behind him.

The Lions do have five linebackers already locked onto the roster. Those players are Alex Anzalone, Jack Campbell, Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez and Jalen Reeves-Maybin. But if they’re open to having a 6th linebacker on the roster, it feels like it’ll come down to Jefferson or Gilbert.

The last roster spot I want to focus on is the 4th safety spot. As I mentioned in my game one preview, the Lions will have an important decision to make on who the 4th safety will be after Brian Branch, Kerby Joseph and Ifeatu Melifonwu.

The experienced player is C.J. Moore and he recorded three tackles in this game. However, he did slip while attacking downhill during a run by Giants running back Eric Gray. With Moore missing, this gave Gray plenty of running room as he took it to the house. Later in the game, Moore was limping in the end zone on the Giants second touchdown of the game. It looked like a possible knee or ankle injury but nothing has been mentioned of an injury at this time. Either way, it’s still worth monitoring.

As for the competition with Moore, there are two other players to really keep tabs on with Morice Norris and Brandon Joseph. Starting with Norris, he had three tackles but none of the tackles were like the one he made in practice earlier this week.

The standout for the 4th safety spot was Brandon Joseph. He had three tackles, a pass breakup and an interception. On the interception, he jumped a route over the middle of the field and looked like his old self at Notre Dame. If the Lions can get him playing like that again, what an addition that would be for the Lions secondary and special teams.

Final Thoughts + Injury Notes

Overall, it was far from pretty for the Lions but it wasn’t horrible. Again, that’s expected with no starters playing. There were a lot of positives with some skilled players on offense but ultimately, the defense played really well outside of two drives. Improving the defense was important for the Lions this off-season. Despite a quiet three series for first round pick and presumed starter Terrion Arnold, the depth of the defense appears to be taking shape. We’ll see if that carries over to the rest of the season.

The Lions did have a few players get banged up in this game. Offensive lineman Connor Galvin got rolled up on and had to be carted off with a knee injury. Receiver Antoine Green went to block a Giants defender but he essentially got launched to outer space and left the game with a concussion. Earlier, I mentioned that Hendon Hooker is in the concussion protocol. Lastly, we did see defensive tackle David Badda go down with an achilles injury.

After the game, it was confirmed by Dan Campbell that Badda and Galvin probably suffered some long term injuries. Those will be worth monitoring as the Lions still have two preseason games to play. Next Saturday, the Lions will travel to Arrowhead Stadium to take on the Kansas City Chiefs.

Oh, and, yes, kicker Jake Bates did hit a 53-yard field goal in the first quarter.

Lions losing John Cominsky is more impactful than people think

The Lions losing DL John Cominsky to injury is more impactful than people think, and Russell Brown explains why

During the Tuesday morning practice this week, the Detroit Lions had multiple players suffer injuries. Rookie CB Ennis Rakestraw suffered an apparent foot injury, and offensive guard Netane Muti went down with a left shoulder injury. Lastly, they lost defensive end John Cominsky for the season due to a torn MCL.

There’s some hope that Cominsky could return in 5 or 6 months. If all goes right this season, the Lions could be in a playoff push so the return of Cominsky could be very beneficial for this Lions defense. However, losing him for the season is going to be more impactful than people think.

Last year during the off-season, the Lions were faced with a decision of keeping Cominsky or letting him walk. During that time, I went over the pros and cons of bringing him back to Detroit. In that article, I mentioned Cominsky as being a “glue guy” for the team. Specifically for the defense.

The Lions have a young defensive front with Alim McNeill, Aidan Hutchinson, Levi Onwuzurike and others. With that, they needed a veteran to lead them and turn to when the going got tough and that player was Cominsky. In 2022, he played in 14 games and started 8 of those games. He had 44 total pressures and over 550 defensive snaps played that season.

Cominsky may not light up the stat sheet, but his versatility will be missed. He can play anywhere along the defensive line. For the most part, he looks best suited to play as a 4i-technique for Detroit, but he can bump into the inside shoulder of a guard when needed.

Move onto last season and it was still a strong showing for Cominsky. He was in the top 10 for defensive snaps with 569 snaps played. Replacing the way he plays on those snaps will be tough to do for the Lions defense.

https://x.com/RussNFLDraft/status/1725313226429084043

His play style fits the identity of the Dan Campbell led Lions. He’s got that tough mentality and is just a grinder in the trenches. His ability to take on blocks and fight pressure with pressure is very beneficial to how the Lions linebackers can play freely. It leaves those backers clean as they scrape over the top or attack downhill to stop the run.

Last season, Cominsky played in 16 games and he started 11 of those games. He finished the season with 36 tackles, 16 QB pressures and two sacks (per PlayerProfiler). We’ll see how the Lions replace Cominsky but I’d have to guess this opens the door players such as Mathieu Betts, Kyle Peko, Mekhi Wingo and Brodric Martin. Hopefully, the Lions depth on the defensive line can help fill the void.