Tag: carlton davis

Lions final injury report: Carlton Davis, Taylor Decker ruled out vs. Bears

Lions final injury report: Carlton Davis, Taylor Decker ruled out vs. Bears, and two other prominent starters are questionable with injuries

Some unfortunate news from the Detroit Lions final injury report of Week 13. The Lions will face the Chicago Bears on Thanksgiving without the services of starting left tackle Taylor Decker and cornerback Carlton Davis.

Both Decker and David suffered leg injuries in the Week 12 win over the Colts. The short week hindered their availability for the annual Thanksgiving game. Neither is expected to be a long-term injury.

In addition to Decker and Davis, running back David Montgomery and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown are officially questionable for Thursday’s game. Montgomery injured his shoulder, while St. Brown banged up his knee on a punt return in Indianapolis on Sunday.

On a more positive front, rookie CB Terrion Arnold has no injury designation and will play. Arnold missed the trip to Indy with a groin issue.

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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!

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 post-week 12 medical report and analysis

Lions post-week 12 medical report and analysis for all the injured Detroit players

Aside from a possible long-term injury to Kalif Raymond, early indications are that the Lions had a fairly healthy game vs the Colts. There were some minor scares though which could still impact the Thanksgiving game.

The Lions released an estimated injury report on Monday due to the short week game on Thanksgiving. All the players below had a “No Practice (NP)” on Monday.

DJ Reader also had an NP due to an illness. Terrion Arnold returned to a “Full Practice” with his groin. Arnold hurt his groin during practice last week and missed the Colts game.

Dan Campbell on Monday stated: “There’s probably three of them that [might not play]… It’s going to come down to the wire. The good news is that most of these are not a long-term thing.” Campbell specifically mentioned Taylor Decker, Carlton Davis, Kalif Raymond, and Amon-Ra St. Brown as possibly missing the Thanksgiving game.

Here are the injuries along with suspected diagnoses.

Kalif Raymond – left foot or toe sprain 3q 7:41

Raymond awkwardly lands hard on his left foot with hyperextended toes. The concerns here include a Lisfranc or turf toe injury with a turf toe being preferable. There are 26 bones in the foot so a lot of other things are possible.

A Lisfranc injury is a sprain or fracture of the midfoot area. Even a mild Lisfranc can be a 4-8 week recovery. A severe Lisfranc can be a career changer as Lions fans have seen in the past with Kevin Jones and Ameer Abdullah.

Taylor Decker – right MCL & right ankle sprain 3q 6:00

Decker was rolled up on here. The right ankle externally rotated which can cause a high ankle sprain. The right knee also appeared to bend inward slightly causing an MCL sprain. He left the game but was able to return the next drive which suggests mild severity.

While there is no long-term concern, even a mild MCL or high ankle sprain can lead to missed games.

On the Monday report, Decker was listed only with a knee and not an ankle.

David Montgomery – mild right shoulder contusion 3q 4:32

A direct blow to the right shoulder caused Montgomery to exit the game and not return. He stated after the game that he could have played if necessary which suggests there was no significant damage to the shoulder. A contusion or AC joint sprain are possible.

Based on Montgomery’s postgame comments and body language, the expectation is that he will be playing on Thanksgiving.

Carlton Davis – left knee area strain 4q 10:18

The non-contact injury to the knee with a slight valgus (inward) buckling can be seen with ACL tears. We saw this on video last year with Emmanuel Moseley and Nate Sudfeld. Fortunately, early signs are that Davis does not have an ACL tear. Video showed the orthopedist performing the Lachman ACL test which he passed.

It’s unlikely he has any other significant knee ligament damage either. A meniscus tear is also unlikely but an MRI will be obtained to confirm.

I’m suspecting a strain of one of the muscles or tendons attaching to the posterior knee area. Early signs are that the injury is minor.

Amon-Ra St. Brown – knee

St. Brown is surprisingly listed on the Monday injury report with a knee injury. I reviewed the game video and nothing jumped out. He looked to have no issues during the game and played until the end of the 4th quarter. I’m not expecting anything serious at this point and think there is a good chance he will be available on Thanksgiving.

UPDATE: After his punt return in the 4th quarter, he had a slight limp and reached for the right lateral knee and upper calf area. Hopefully, it’s just a mild muscle strain or knee contusion. He finished the game without obvious issues.

 

 

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.

Lions vs Colts: Final injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Colts: Final injury report medical analysis for both teams ahead of their Week 12 matchup

One of the key matchups to watch will be the Lions weakened front-7 who just lost a starting LB vs the Colts weakened offensive line who will be missing three starters.

Over the week, the Lions had two new injuries to CB’s, but otherwise the active roster is healthy. The Colts had an upgrade to their RT who will play.

DETROIT LIONS

Out – Ennis Rakestraw CB (hamstring UL UL NP)

Rakestraw had a hamstring strain earlier this year and missed weeks two and three. It’s uncertain the severity of the current hamstring injury. We will know more depending on if he is placed on IR this weekend. He has otherwise been healthy after coming back from core muscle surgery about 11 months ago.

Questionable – Terrion Arnold CB (groin UL LP FP)

On Friday, Dan Campbell stated: “This morning he went in and got treatment, everything looks like it’s pretty good…. I’m not concerned right now but we’ll see how this day goes.” Those words are reassuring that Arnold does not have a significant injury. The FP strongly suggests he will play vs the Colts.

In the unlikely event that Arnold is out, expect to see Kindle Vildor who filled in when Carlton Davis left as a precaution last game.

Questionable – Emmanuel Moseley CB (pec FP FP FP)

Dan Campbell stated on Friday: “He’s trending the right way…. We see him doing a little bit of everything corner, nickel, safety.”

Moseley tore his pec in August and opened his 21-day practice window on November 6. The loss of Rakestraw slightly increases the chances Moseley will be active, but I still expect him to be out. If he’s indeed out, expect him to be moved to the active roster early next week with a chance to play on Thanksgiving.

In – Sam LaPorta TE (shoulder FP FP FP)

LaPorta missed one game with a left AC joint sprain. Dan Campbell on Friday stated: “He’s been good….he’s got fresh legs.” LaPorta is in with no expected limitations.

In – Carlton Davis CB (thumb FP FP FP)

Davis broke his left thumb last week in practice and played the entire first half vs the Jaguars in a thumb splint. He was pulled for the second half presumably as a precaution. The 3x FP is reassuring that the thumb is recovering fine.

In – Shane Zylstra TE (neck FP FP FP)

Zylstra left the last game late in the fourth quarter. Fortunately, the neck injury was not serious.

NOTABLES

Out – Jalen Reeves-Maybin

JRM was place on IR two weeks ago for an unspecified neck injury. His earliest eligible return is week 14 vs the Packers. Dan Campbell on Friday gave an update: “We’re hopeful [he’ll return], but we really don’t know at this time.”

Out – Alex Anzalone

This starting LB was placed on IR this week with a forearm fracture. He should be back in about seven weeks.

In – Brodric Martin

This is Martin’s first week on the active roster after a right knee hyperextension in preseason. Whether he is active on gameday will depend on where the coaches view him on the depth chart.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Out – Bernhard Raimann LT (knee NP NP NP)

This starting LT will miss his second straight game.

Questionable – Tyquan Lewis DE (elbow FP FP FP)

Having just opened his practice window this week after missing seven games, I would not expect him to play.

In – Josh Downs WR (calf  UL FP FP)

Downs has the most receptions on the team with 50 for 567 yards. Only Alec Pierce has more receiving yardage with 590.

In – Braden Smith RT (foot/rest LP FP NP)

This starting RT has played every game this year and that will continue.

In – Michael Pittman WR (back FP FP FP)

Pittman has been dealing with a back issue for a few weeks but will play through. He has 35 catches for 412 yards on the year.

In – Kenny Moore CB (knee UL FP FP)

Moore plays almost 100% of defensive snaps.

In – DeForest Buckner DT (rest UL UL NP)

In – Zaire Franklin LB (rest UL UL NP)

In – Grover Stewart DT (rest UL UL NP)

NOTABLES

Out – Ryan Kelly C

This starting center has missed the last two games on IR.

Out – Will Fries RG

This starting RG has missed the last six games on IR.

Lions vs Colts: Wednesday injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Colts: Wednesday injury report medical analysis of the practice participation report for both teams

In their last game, the Lions lost Alex Anzalone for a few weeks due to a forearm fracture. Fortunately, the Wednesday report offers no other significant injuries coming out of the Jaguars game (see my postgame report for injury videos).

While the Colts injury report is short, they are hurting along the offensive line with two starters on IR, another starter who missed last game with a knee, and another starter with a new foot injury.

DETROIT LIONS

Estimated report since the team only had a walkthrough.

Sam LaPorta TE (shoulder – FP)

After missing one game with a left AC joint sprain, Dan Campbell stated on Wednesday that LaPorta is “questionable to above… it’s trending the right way”. While the FP is only an estimate, it strongly suggests LaPorta will be playing on Sunday.

Carlton Davis CB (thumb – FP)

Davis broke his left thumb last week in practice and played the entire first half vs the Jaguars in a thumb splint. He was pulled for the second half presumably as a precaution. The FP today confirms that there was no significant aggravation of the thumb and he’ll play vs the Colts.

Allen Robinson WR (Gameday Concussion Protocol Evaluation – FP)

Robinson hit his head late in the Jaguars game and was slow in getting up. The FP today would mean he was not diagnosed with a concussion and should be available on Sunday.

Shane Zylstra TE (neck – FP)

Zylstra left the Jaguars game late in the fourth quarter. The video did not show anything serious, but a neck listing is always concerning for a spinal issue. The FP today reassures that it’s not spinal and most likely just a soft tissue strain.

Emmanuel Moseley CB (pec – FP)

Moseley tore his pec in August and opened his 21-day practice window on November 6. Expect him to remain in the practice window through the weekend and moved to the active roster early next week before Thanksgiving.

NOTABLES

Ifeatu Melifonwu

Having yet to play this year, here is his timeline:
-August 17: Suspected Achilles tendonitis
-September 28: Placed on IR
-November 6: Practice window opened
-November 14: Finger injury showed up on injury report
-November 18: Activated off IR temporarily
-November 19: Back on IR presumably for the finger injury
-December 22: Eligible to return vs Bears

Brodric Martin

This second-year player suffered a right knee hyperextension on August 24 and has yet to play this year. As expected, he was activated to the roster on Tuesday from his IR practice window. That doesn’t mean he’s going to play this weekend though. It still depends on his overall physical/mental readiness and where the coaches view him on the depth chart.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

Estimated report since the team only had a walkthrough.

Bernhard Raimann LT (knee – NP)

This starting LT missed last game with an unspecified knee injury. The NP on Wednesday does not bode well for the weekend.

Braden Smith RT (foot – LP)

This starting RT has played every game this year but the foot is a new listing. Let’s see if he downgrades or upgrades over the week.

Tyquan Lewis DE (elbow – FP)

Lewis has not played in the last seven games while on IR. He had his 21-day practice window opened just today which makes it very unlikely he’ll play vs the Lions.

Michael Pittman WR (back – FP)

Pittman has been dealing with a back issue for a few weeks. He still played in their last game and should play again on Sunday. He has 35 catches for 412 yards on the year.

NOTABLES

Ryan Kelly, starting center, is on IR and has missed the last two games.

Will Fries, starting OG, is on IR and has missed the last six games.

Lions Monday medical report – post-week 11 injury updates

Lions Monday medical report – post-week 11 updates on injured Lions players including Carlton Davis, Alex Anzalone and more

Another week, another injury to a Lions front-7 player. This time it’s a forearm fracture to Alex Anzalone. Fortunately, this injury will allow him to return this year and probably stronger than ever as I explain in my feature article.

Pending concerns include Shane Zylstra’s neck and Allen Robinson’s possible concussion. Many other players went down during the Jaguars game but most of those injuries appear to be minor.

On Monday, Dan Campbell gave a pessimistic update on Ifeatu Melifonwu saying “something came up…. he won’t be ready for a while… this is a different injury”. This may be due to Melifonwu’s new finger injury last week.

Here is the list of what I saw in the Jaguars game along with suspected diagnoses:

Amik Robertson – 1q 10:00 left thigh contusion

At the end of the first drive, he appeared to be hit in the left thigh which may have caused a simple charley horse. I didn’t see anything with the ankles or knees. He limped off but returned the next nickel package which was during the 3rd drive. He played the rest of the game with no noticeable effects.

Amik’s dad confirms that he is just fine.

Jahmyr Gibbs – 1q 1:50 mild abdominal contusion

Gibbs landed on the ball which could have caused an abdominal contusion, rib cartilage injury, or just wind. He left after the play but returned the same drive and finished out the game.

Frank Ragnow – 2q 9:19 left elbow/forearm contusion

Ragnow took a helmet directly to his left elbow/forearm area and came up grimacing. He didn’t miss a play. He finished the game without any kind of elbow wrap or pad which is reassuring. Likely, he just had a mild contusion.

Alex Anzalone – 2q 2:36 left forearm fracture

See my full article for details. Anzalone should be back within 6-8 weeks with no long-term concerns.

Carlton Davis – left thumb fracture earlier in week

Davis didn’t play in the second half but this presumably was a precaution for the left thumb fracture he suffered in practice a few days ago. Dan Campbell stated on Monday that during the game “he didn’t feel quite right”, so this is something to monitor this week.

Here is the cast/splint he was playing with:

Za’Darius Smith – 2q 00:45 right torso/ribs contusion

Smith took an elbow to the right torso which could have caused a rib or abdomen injury. He was in visible pain on the ground for a while but only missed one play. Likely this is just a contusion with the worst case being a rib fracture.

Penei Sewell – 3q 1:12 torso strain

Video was obscured but he did get his torso crushed by Ragnow. Two plays later, Sewell landed hard on his torso which may have aggravated the initial issue. He didn’t miss a play and finished the game in good shape.

Allen Robinson – 4q 5:18 possible concussion

Robinson takes a hard blow to the head here and also bangs his head on the ground. He is slow getting up which is concerning for a concussion. He tried to stay in for the next play but was sent off for a concussion evaluation. Presumably he has passed the evaluation since there has been no news. Delayed symptoms are possible and we should know that by Wednesday.

Shane Zylstra – 4q 6:22 neck

Zylstra pulled himself out after this play and was officially listed as a neck injury. He did not return to the game. I reviewed all his plays in the 4th quarter and nothing jumped out. Neck injuries often don’t show much on video as we saw with Saivion Smith’s temporary paralysis in 2022. Hopefully, this is just a simple cervical muscle strain.

Key Matchups: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Detroit Lions

Key Matchups: Jacksonville Jaguars vs. Detroit Lions

The Jacksonville Jaguars hope to pull off a significant upset as they travel north to take on the Detroit Lions in a matchup with plenty of disadvantages.

Jacksonville enters Week 11 with the projected No. 1 overall selection in the 2025 NFL Draft, according to Tankathon. The Jaguars are 2-8 and coming off a defensive slugfest of a loss against Minnesota without franchise quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who is out again this week with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder.

Head coach Doug Pederson will not have a ton of edges against the Lions. Jaguars Wire looks at a few key matchups that will be critical against the Lions on Sunday afternoon.

Jacksonville WR Brian Thomas Jr. vs. Detroit’s secondary

This is a big moment for the rookie receiver. Brian Thomas Jr. has been one of the better wide receivers in the league this year, an impressive feat for a rookie. Now demanding double-coverage, per Pederson, Thomas will face an uber-talented Lions secondary that will likely continue that trend this weekend.

Thomas’ strength is his vertical game but he is much more than that as a receiver. He has developed into an all-around playmaker who threatens all three levels of the field with his speed, agility, fluidity and route running.

The challenge in Detroit will be taking on cornerbacks Carlton Davis III and Terrion Arnold and safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch.

There is an argument that Branch has had a defensive player-of-the-year-worthy season. And while Detroit’s defense has allowed the fifth-most passing yards per game (244.2) in the NFL this season, it also gives up the third-fewest passing touchdowns per game (0.8).

If Pederson and offensive coordinator Press Taylor manufacture touches for Thomas, the Jaguars could find themselves in scoring positions more often. Thomas is bound for his true workhorse game and this week could be the one.

Jacksonville DE Josh Hines-Allen vs. Detroit OT Taylor Decker

Despite last week’s loss to Minnesota loss, Jacksonville edge rusher Josh Hines-Allen got the better of former teammate Cam Robinson, tallying eight pressures and forcing quarterback Sam Darnold into some rough decisions with the football.

According to Next Gen Stats, Hines-Allen leads the Jaguars in pressures and will line up opposite Lions left tackle Taylor Decker, whose pressure rate ranks in the bottom ten among players at his position at 10.6%.

This is one of the few Achilles heels on Detroit’s offense and there aren’t many of them. Decker is an overall sound tackle but arguably the weak link on the best offensive line in the NFL.

Hines-Allen has been a handful this season and has been continuously worthy of the contract extension that secured him as a true franchise cornerstone on a lowly team. A big day from the former Kentucky standout could keep this game a competitive one through all four quarters.

Jacksonville’s coaching vs. Detroit’s coaching

If you have watched any football between these two teams, it is clear there is a sizeable advantage. If not, this game features a Lions coaching staff that has one of the best offensive minds in the NFL in Ben Johnson, and a defensive coordinator who has his defense playing competitive football in Aaron Glenn.

Not to mention, Detroit is led by Dan Campbell, one of the most respected head coaches in football. It would be fair to expect him to get the most out of his players.

The Jaguars have been under a microscope for most of the season. After entering the season with playoff expectations, those expectations aren’t likely to be met unless they pull off a miraculous run in the final seven games.

If Pederson and the rest of his staff want to tone down the noise about their futures in Jacksonville, they must coach the best games of the season or at any point of their Jaguars tenure.

Last week, there were glimpses of the Jaguars generating more pressure with more blitzes. Defensive coordinator Ryan Nielsen must coach a perfect game in this instance and find a way to force Lions quarterback Jared Goff into bad decisions for the second straight week.

Offensively, as stated in the aforementioned key matchup, having the game plan around getting the ball to Thomas is critical. Travis Etienne Jr.’s return to health helps with the loss of Tank Bigsby. Leaning on Thomas and Etienne will ease the pressure on backup quarterback Mac Jones.

It may seem like a tall task against one of the best coaching staffs in the league headed by Campbell, but the Jaguars have pulled off miracles under Pederson before. They could do it again in Detroit.

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.