Lions Monday medical report and injury analysis after wet Lambeau Field victory in Week 9
The Packers game appears to have been a generally healthy one for the Lions, and we might have the rainy weather to thank for that. Slow conditions can decrease injury risk given Newton’s second law of motion (force = mass x acceleration).
The slipperiness of the field may have also helped Jahmyr Gibbs avoid a serious ankle or knee injury as explained below.
In Dan Campbell’s Monday press conference, he was not asked and did not comment about any injuries.
Here are the injuries seen on initial watch along with possible diagnoses:
Jahmyr Gibbs, left ankle sprain or right knee bone bruise – 3q 11:00
Gibbs had his left foot dangerously trapped which can cause a high ankle sprain or fracture. While this wasn’t a hip-drop tackle, the mechanism of injury is the same. On video, there is a slight external rotation of the ankle which may have caused a mild high ankle sprain. Gibbs’ foot is able slip out to avoid a more serious injury.
On the subsequent step, the right leg extends outward and plants hard which put him at risk for a knee hyperextension. The slippery field may have helped prevent a more serious injury as his right foot is able to slide just a bit. Fortunately, the video did not show any knee deformity, although a knee bone bruise is still possible.
Gibbs was limping later in the drive but was still able to end the drive with a touchdown. He didn’t play much after that although he did return to the game in the 4th quarter which is reassuring. I expect him to be fine for the Texans game but we’ll see what the Wednesday injury report brings.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, left shoulder – 4q 13:01
His left arm appears to be slightly tugged by the Packer player’s bent legs during the tackle. The main concern is a subluxation of the shoulder joint. He was nursing his left arm during the next play and went to the bench after that. Good news is that he did return to the game late for the onside kick.
He’ll likely get imaging on the shoulder to check for any damage like a labral tear. Hopefully, the results are negative and this is just a mild shoulder sprain.
Carlton Davis, right shoulder/arm – 4q 10:34
Davis’s right arm or shoulder was bothering him after the play. A stinger is possible as his neck was torqued to the left and he was flexing his fingers afterwards which could indicate tingling or sensation loss. Also possible is a contusion due to the direct impact to the right shoulder.
The unlikely worst-case scenario would be a pec tear which can happen when a runner breaks away while a tackler is wrapping up. We saw this earlier in the year with Kyle Peko.
Davis missed some plays but returned to the game later which is reassuring. We should know by Wednesday whether there is any significant concern.
Penei Sewell, right low ankle sprain – 4q 3:42
Sewell’s ankle appeared to suffer a mild inversion which can cause a low ankle sprain. I didn’t see anything more concerning than that although the video was partially obscured. He was able to finish out the rest of the game. A mild low ankle sprain would be a good outcome and would not affect his availability for the Texans game.
Sewell suffered a mild right ankle sprain back in week one which is likely healed at this point, but an aggravation of that injury is a possibility.
