Tag: terrion Arnold

Friendly fire injuries of the Detroit Lions 2024 season

Breaking down the friendly fire injuries of the Detroit Lions 2024 season, and there were quite a few of them

Injury prevention is at the forefront of everybody’s mind especially after the high number of injuries to the Detroit Lions defense in 2024. One actionable way to prevent injuries is to try to limit the number caused by friendly fire – teammates hitting each other.

The main preventable, friendly fire collision occurs when the ballcarrier is already wrapped up and another defender comes crashing in to lay a big hit. Those kinds of hits often end up inadvertently landing big blows to a defensive (and defenseless) teammate. Over the decades of watching football, I have noticed more awareness amongst defensive players of avoiding unnecessary late hits to an already wrapped-up ballcarrier.

There is certainly a lot of gray area when it comes to defining what is an unnecessary hit, so it’s not fair to lay total blame to players for any of the resulting injuries. Things happen fast on the field, and it’s not always clear when a ballcarrier is wrapped up and secured.

The other side of the coin is that players have faced scrutiny and criticism for not rushing into the action when a ballcarrier unexpectedly breaks free. It’s important to realize that avoiding friendly fire can sometimes be unfairly labelled as passivity or a “business decision” on video.

I reviewed the season of injuries to the defense and compiled the injury videos of Lions players colliding with each other. Some of these collisions are simply fluky collisions that I would not put in the category of friendly fire, but the videos are here so you can decide for yourself.

Amik Robertson

Left humerus fracture – Being the last game of the season, he did not miss any future games. Likely he would have missed at least 8 weeks otherwise.

Alex Anzalone

Concussion – Missed one game. A quick, late juke by Baker Mayfield led to this friendly fire collision.

Left forearm fracture – Missed 6 games. On video, you can see that Anzalone did not have the runner wrapped up at all. Branch and Anzalone make contact with the runner almost simultaneously.

Aidan Hutchinson

Left tibia/fibula fracture – Missed rest of season. This collision was due to two players both doing their jobs effectively and getting to the QB. Hutchinson’s spinning leg-whip action ended up hitting Alim McNeill’s leg.

Of note, this same leg-whip action by Hutchinson resulted in McNeill’s MCL sprain the year prior. See my initial Hutchinson injury article for comparison of the two injury videos.

Khalil Dorsey

Right lower leg/ankle fracture – Missed rest of the season. This one looked to just be bad luck as the two Lions were trying to run past each other and collided legs.

Terrion Arnold

Right foot contusion – Missed the rest of the game. Arnold’s foot was landed on here in a fluky way. Fortunately, there was no serious injury.

Carlton Davis

Cleat to the head – A fluky cleat to a helmetless head caused Davis to miss the rest of the game. Peculiarly, two months later, Davis suffered a jaw fracture that was completely unrelated to friendly fire.

Film Review: Detroit Lions banged up defense does itself no favors with missed tackles and poor alignment

Film Review: Detroit Lions banged up defense does itself no favors with missed tackles and poor alignment in the loss to the Commanders

It’s no secret that the Detroit Lions loss to the Washington Commanders was shocking. Considering the way the Lions played for most of the season and getting home-field advantage in the playoffs, they seemed destined for a deep playoff run.

Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders had other plans.

Despite being a rookie quarterback on the road, Daniels shredded the Lions. He was calm, cool and collected under pressure. Despite facing a 36% pressure rate on his dropbacks, Daniels completed 77.8% of his passes under pressure.

One of the strengths of the Commanders offense against the Lions was getting rid of the football quickly. They found the weak spots in the Lions defense and exposed them with quick passes such as slants, hitches and designed screens. When the time was right, they would take deep shots downfield. Let’s dive into some tape to look at how the Lions defense picked the wrong time to play their worst football on the season.

 

Starting with the missed tackles, it was less than ideal to sit and watch this happen over and over again for the Lions defense. Especially since the Lions graded out as the top tackling defense in the NFL this season, per PFF. They earned a 71.7 overall grade this year.

Looking at the clip above, the Lions defense is on a key down and distance of 3rd and 14. If they get a stop, they get off the field and put the ball in the hands of their high-powered offense. However, that quickly changes when Brian Branch (DB #32) misses an open-field tackle.

If Branch would have made the initial tackle, it would have been a gain between 4-to-6 yards. Once he missed the tackle, an additional gain of 6 or 7 yards happened, and this set the Commanders up with a very manageable 4th and 1.

 

Staying on the discussion of missed tackles, we move ahead in the game. This time, the Commanders are faced with 2nd-and-10 on the Lions 25-yard line. The Commanders align in a twins left formation out of shotgun with their ’22’ personnel (two running backs and two tight ends).

Prior to the snap, Jayden Daniels puts running back Austin Ekeler into jet-motion. Faking the hand-off to Ekeler, Daniels looks downfield but notices that the deep routes are covered quickly. With that, he checks the ball down to Ekeler.

Despite catching the ball before the line-of-scrimmage, Ekeler is still able to turn this into a much bigger gain than it should have been. Much of that is due to a missed tackle from Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold. As you can see, Arnold gets hit with a juke move and six yards were gained after the catch.

If Arnold made the tackle, it would have set up 3rd-and-10, but instead, this became a very manageable 3rd down for the Commanders. Essentially, it became two-down territory for them because they were more than willing to go for it on 4th down.

 

Moving on from the missed tackles, let’s take a look at the poor alignments from the Lions defense. There was not a worse alignment than the play above from the Lions this season. Looking at that play, the Commanders come out with a trips bunch formation to the left of the ball.

With 8 defenders in the box, it’s clear that the Lions are worried about stopping the run. Which, in most cases, would make sense if the quarterback couldn’t throw or didn’t make adjustments prior to the snap. However, Jayden Daniels has shown that he could throw and make those adjustments all season.

Against the bunch formation, the Lions essentially have one defender there (poor Kindle Vildor). Coming down late was safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, but the Lions were still outnumbered (3×2), and it’s a tough task for safety Kerby Joseph to pursue from the middle of the field. You can see that after the catch.

Once the ball is snapped, you can see disaster was set to happen for the Lions defense. Daniels fired this pass to wide receiver Terry McLaurin on a designed screen. With both perimeter defenders getting blocked, he was able to slip between them and from there, he was off to the races. This led to a 58-yard touchdown that was scored in one minute and 21 seconds. The Lions went from having a 14-10 lead to being down 17-14 in the snap of a finger.

Overall, it’s all very confusing from the Lions defense. Everyone is destined to have an off day, but this was the worst time of the season to have that off day. It looked like the Lions weren’t prepared for any type of no-huddle or high-tempo style of play from the Commanders. They were constantly caught off guard and with the amount of injuries sustained on the defense, the Lions were substituting on almost every play.

While it kept guys fresh and put certain defenders on the field for certain types of plays, the Lions were still lost coming out of their defensive huddle. It shows with the missed tackles and the missed alignments from their defense. Certainly, their offense did them no favors by turning the football over five times (one for a touchdown) but their defense allowed 481 total yards.

Additionally, they never sacked Daniels and they allowed the Commanders to go 4-for-4 in the red zone. Prior to halftime, the Commanders offense scored 14 points on two offensive drives in 3 minutes and 36 seconds…combined.

That just can’t happen, especially for a team that entered the playoffs as Super Bowl favorites. The regular season was great to watch. There’s certainly talent on this Lions team, including their defense. They just picked a bad day to have a bad day.

Lions’ Terrion Arnold reveals Jayden Daniels’ hilarious message after Commanders divisional win

Jayden Daniels trolled Terrion Arnold during a jersey swap after the Lions were eliminated from the playoffs.

Rookie phenom quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders stunned the NFC’s top seed in the divisional round, upsetting the Detroit Lions 45-31 on the road to advance to the NFC championship against division rival Philadelphia.

After the game, Daniels did a jersey swap with Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, and according to YouTuber Deestroying on his “Kickin’ It With Dee” podcast, Daniels wrote a hilarious message on the bottom of the jersey he gave to Arnold.

Daniels poked fun at the end of the Lions season, hinting at the team’s potential vacation plans now that it’s out of the playoffs.

“Cancun on 3! 1, 2, 3,” Daniels allegedly etched on the jersey.

It’s quite a troll from the young quarterback, who is the heavy favorite to win NFL Rookie of the Year for his efforts this season. Daniels will just hope he and the Commanders punch their ticket to Super Bowl 59 instead of joining Arnold in Cancun.

Lions vs Commanders: Final injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Commanders: Initial injury report medical analysis for Washington and Detroit ahead of the NFC Divisional Round game

The Lions first playoff game is upon us as the Commanders march into town. The final practice injury report is today (Thursday) due to the game being on Saturday. There were no big upgrades/downgrades during the week for the Lions.

The Commanders report is long but most players on the report are in. The two questionables coming out of the last game (Daron Payne, Bobby Wagner) are set to play but may have some limitations due to their injuries.

NFL Playoff picks: Unlock exclusive data-driven predictions

If the Lions win on Saturday, the practice window watch can start for the two remaining hopefuls on IR – Aidan Hutchinson and Carlton Davis. I go into more detail below.

(Abbreviations: UL=unlisted, NP=no practice, LP=limited practice, FP=full practice)

DETROIT LIONS

 

Out: Kevin Zeitler, RG – hamstring (NP NP NP)

A hamstring strain will cost this starting RG at least one playoff game. Hamstrings benefit from a gradual ramp-up to avoid aggravation, so the lack of any practice this week puts next week in doubt also. Expect 6th-round rookie Christian Mahogany, who has performed well in limited action, to start at RG.

Out: Pat O’Connor, DT – calf (NP NP NP)

A likely calf strain during the last game will cost O’Connor at least one game. Like with Zeitler, the full week of NP is not a positive sign for the following week. He has been playing around 50% of defensive snaps in the latter part of the season along the depleted defensive line.

Questionable: Ennis Rakestraw, CB – hamstring/illness (NP NP LP)

Rakestraw opened his practice window last week on January 9 after 7 weeks on IR. The limited practice time this week is likely related to the illness but I can’t say for sure.

Rakestraw’s role is on special teams unless there are further injuries to the CB position. With Terrion Arnold, Amik Robertson, and Kindle Vildor healthy, the Lions likely will decide to give Rakestraw another week.

IN: David Montgomery, RB – knee (FP FP FP)

Knuckles returns in 5 weeks from his MCL sprain and possibly more.

I don’t expect any limitations to his snap count based on how the Lions have handled players in their first game back such as Jahmyr Gibbs with his hamstring last year (87% snaps), Montgomery himself with his ribs last year (38%), and Alex Anzalone with his forearm last week (98%).

Prior to his injury, Montgomery was logging around 30-50% of snaps and I would anticipate him in the range of 30% for this game given Gibbs recent high production.

IN: Terrion Arnold, CB – foot (FP FP FP)

After a worrisome-looking foot injury last game, the outcome is excellent as he won’t even miss a game. His health is important to a secondary that is missing Carlton Davis.

In: Taylor Decker OT – personal (UL NP FP)

Congrats to Taylor Decker and family for welcoming their second child to the world.

IR LIST STATUS UPDATE

Aidan Hutchinson – left tib/fib fracture, Oct 13

With only 3 weeks left until the Super Bowl, Hutchinson’s 21-day practice window may open early next week regardless of his chances to play in the big game. The bone has likely been healed for multiple weeks now, so his return is dependent on the rehab of the soft tissues. Getting him on the practice field would just be part of his rehab.

Dan Campbell has not expressed optimism regarding his return recently but did not rule it out. I continue to expect limited action in the Super Bowl for Hutchinson.

He is in the 3rd year of his 4-year rookie contract with 5th-year option. Expect an extension this coming offseason.

Carlton Davis – jaw fracture, Dec 15

Dan Campbell stated two weeks ago not to expect Davis back. I’m still holding onto a glimmer of hope that he might return for the Super Bowl.

The practice window situation for Davis is a bit different than Hutchinson’s as the jaw fracture may not be healed yet. Even if Davis can play in the Super Bowl, he may not have his window opened next week. If his window does open, he could potentially play immediately as his legs are unaffected – same as what we saw with Alex Anzalone.

Davis is an unrestricted free agent after this year.

Not expected to return

  • Derrick Barnes, right MCL/PCL surgery – Unrestricted free agent after this year.
  • John Cominsky, MCL surgery – Unrestricted free agent after this year.
  • Alim McNeill, right ACL – Expect his return around October-November of 2025. Signed an extension this past offseason through the 2028 season.
  • Khalil Dorsey, right ankle/leg fracture – Unrestricted free agent this offseason.
  • Malcolm Rodriguez, right ACL – Expect his return around October 2025. Next season will be the final year of his rookie contract.
  • Marcus Davenport, left elbow – Unrestricted free agent this offseason.
  • Kyle Peko, left pec rupture – Unrestricted free agent this offseason.
  • Mekhi Wingo, unspecified right knee – In 1st year of four-year rookie contract.
  • Emmanuel Moseley, illness – Placed on NFI after appearing in only 2 games following his pec rupture.

IR return count (8 of 10 used)

  • Lions have returned Rakestraw, Anzalone, Raymond, Brodric Martin, Moseley, Reeves-Maybin, and Ifeatu Melifonwu twice.
  • Hutchinson and Davis will take the last 2 returns if they can get healthy enough.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

In: Daron Payne DT, finger (LP LP FP)

Payne hurt his thumb during the last game and posted the XR which showed a likely dorsal dislocation of his thumb MCP (metacarpophalangeal) joint.

He’s going to play likely with a splint which will affect his ability to grab with that hand.

Payne is an important player along the defensive line logging around 70-80% of snaps this year with 4 sacks and 42 total tackles.

In: Bobby Wagner LB, ankle (NP NP LP)

On video, Wagner suffered a left high ankle sprain or medial ankle sprain after a teammate crashed into him from the side on the penultimate defensive play of the game. He is going to play but the ankle injury could limit his effectiveness.

 

Out: Jordan Magee LB, hamstring (NP NP NP)

Magee has played minimal snaps on defense this year and is mostly a special teams contributor.

Questionable: Mykal Walker LB, illness (UL UL NP)

Walker is mainly a special teams player.

Questionable: Colson Yankoff TE, hamstring (FP FP FP)

This rookie TE has not played in the last 11 games.

The following players are all in:

Zane Gonzalez K, hip

Gonzalez went to the bank for the game-winning field goal in the 1st-round of the playoffs. Detroit banks are planning to close early on Saturday.

Ben Sinnott TE, shoulder

Jamison Crowder WR, hamstring/rest

Zach Ertz TE, rib/rest

Clelin Ferrell DE, knee/rest

John Bates TE, shoulder

Dominique Hampton LB, back

Marshon Lattimore CB, hamstring

Frankie Luvu LB, shoulder

Brandon Coleman OT, shoulder

KJ Osborn WR, finger

Lions draft class rookie grades for 2024-25 regular season

Grading the Detroit Lions rookie class from the 2024 NFL Draft and how they performed as rookies

The Detroit Lions suddenly found themselves relying significantly less on rookies in 2024-25 on their way to the NFC’s No. 1 seed.
The Lions had a much quieter 2024 draft class. Only a couple of rookies played consistently throughout the regular season, a stark contrast from last season which saw the rise of Jahmyr Gibbs, Brian Branch, Sam LaPorta and Jack Campbell.
In a season marred by injury, the team needed every healthy body they could get onto the field, but that didn’t necessarily translate to all of their rookies getting much playing time.
Let’s take a look at how the Lions’ rookies did during the regular season.

Terrion Arnold

The rookie with the most complete resume this season is their first-round pick.
Arnold played in 15 games at cornerback, starting all but one of those. With injuries decimating the Lions defense, he quickly became a key part of defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn’s schemes.
Arnold’s rookie season started out rocky — stacking up eight penalties in his first eight games. However, he’s only had three penalties called against him since Week 4, and has become a middle-of-the-pack corner which is more than the Lions could ask for following the season-ending injury to Carlton Davis.
Grade: B+

Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

The Lions took Rakestraw with their second-round pick in 2024 in an effort to keep building up their secondary.
Rakestraw played in eight games, but mainly on special teams before he was injured in November. He’d managed six total tackles on the season before being placed on Injured Reserve.
Given the current state of the Lions defense, it’s fair to say he could’ve gotten a few opportunities late in the season. However, it certainly hasn’t been the rookie season he would’ve hoped for to this point.
Grade: D

Giovanni Manu

The Lions came into 2024 with one of the best offensive lines in the NFL.
Unfortunately for 4th-round pick Giovanni Manu, that means a lot of time on the bench.
The Lions traded up in the draft to get Manu, however the presence of Dan Skipper even while Taylor Decker was out kept the rookie out of the lineup. With Skipper’s contract future up in the air for next season, 2025 may lead to more opportunities for Manu.
Grade: Incomplete

Sione Vaki

Another stacked position for the Lions is running back — not leaving much room for Vaki at this point.
He’s played primarily on special teams, but has gotten a few carries in blowout wins against the Jaguars and Cowboys. With Craig Reynolds as the primary third-string back, Vaki won’t be able to carve out much of a role in the offense.
However, he has gotten some consistent playing time on special teams, which is more than some rookies can say.
Grade: C-

Mekhi Wingo

The Lions have been desperate for help along the defensive line this season, but Wingo is one of many who finished the season on Injured Reserve.
Wingo was in the midst of breaking into significant playing time as a backup for DJ Reader before he went down with a season-ending knee injury in Week 13’s win over the Bears. He finished his season with nine total tackles.
In limited opportunities, he made enough of an impact to earn a grade for his season, but he’ll certainly be looking for a bounce-back season in 2025.
Grade: D+

Christian Mahogany

Despite the strength of the Lions’ offensive line, sixth-round pick Christian Mahogany managed to get into the game in some meaningful spots during the regular season.
Mahogany played in seven games this season and made one key start in Week 16 to fill in for injured left guard Graham Glasgow against the Bears.
“It was solid,” head coach Dan Campbell said after the win. “[Mahogany] did some really good things, so there’s certainly something to continue to work with there and improve.”
Glasgow returned the following week and knocked Mahogany back down the depth chart, but the performance showed significant growth and the trust the coaches have in the rookie to step in when necessary.
Grade: C+

Lions vs Commanders: Initial injury report medical analysis

Lions vs Commanders: Initial injury report medical analysis for Washington and Detroit ahead of the NFC Divisional Round game

For the Lions, there was good news and bad news on the initial injury report. David Montgomery and Terrion Arnold are looking ready to go on Saturday, while Kevin Zeitler, Ennis Rakestraw, and Pat O’Connor will need to trend sharply upwards this week in order to have a chance.

The Commanders have a lengthy report but most players are either FP’s or NP’s due to rest. The most significant injury I saw in their first playoff game was Daron Payne’s finger and there is good news for the Commanders on this initial report.

(Abbreviations: UL=unlisted, NP=no practice, LP=limited practice, FP=full practice)

DETROIT LIONS

(walkthrough only)

David Montgomery, RB – knee (FP)

Excellent news for Montgomery with an FP on the initial report after missing 4 weeks due to at least an MCL injury. The FP means he’ll be playing on Saturday.

I don’t expect there to be any limitations to his snap count based on how the Lions have handled players in their first game back such as Jahmyr Gibbs with his hamstring last year (87% snaps), Montgomery himself with his ribs last year (38%), and Alex Anzalone with his forearm last week (98%).

Prior to his injury, Montgomery was logging around 30-50% of snaps and I would anticipate him in the range of 30% for this game given Gibbs recent high production.

Terrion Arnold, CB – foot (FP)

The FP confirms the positive early signs following the right foot injury last game which was reported as a contusion. He’ll be available Saturday which is very important to a secondary that is missing Carlton Davis.

Kevin Zeitler, RG – hamstring (NP)

Video suggested a concerning right hamstring strain and today’s NP corroborates the concern. Hamstrings benefit from a gradual ramp-up to avoid aggravation, so hopefully he can get up to an LP tomorrow and an FP the next day. If not, he may miss the game.

Expect Christian Mahogany, who has played well this year, to take his place if necessary.

Pat O’Connor, DT – calf (NP)

Dan Campbell last week expressed pessimism regarding his injury and the NP today confirms the feeling. I would not expect him to be available vs the Commanders. This would be a big loss as he’s been playing around 50% of defensive snaps in the latter part of the season.

Ennis Rakestraw, CB – hamstring/illness (NP)

Rakestraw opened his practice window last week on January 9 after 7 weeks on IR. I’m suspecting the NP today to be related to his illness and not the hamstring. If the illness resolves quickly and he can get up to an FP later this week, he might be available for the game.

With Arnold healthy, Rakestraw’s main role will be on special teams.

Notables

Levi Onwuzurike, who had his right ankle wrapped last game and was helped off once, is absent from the report.

WASHINGTON COMMANDERS

(walkthrough only)

Daron Payne DT, finger (LP)

Payne hurt his thumb during the last game and posted the XR post-game which showed a likely dorsal dislocation of his thumb MCP (metacarpophalangeal) joint. The LP today is a strong sign that he will play on Saturday. However, he’ll likely be wearing a splint which will affect his ability to grab with that hand.

Payne is an important player along the defensive line logging around 70-80% of snaps this year with 4 sacks and 42 total tackles.

Bobby Wagner LB, ankle (NP)

Wagner has played 100% of snaps in each of the past 11 games and I’m suspecting that will continue on Saturday despite today’s NP.

Jordan Magee LB, hamstring (NP)

Magee has played minimal snaps on defense this year and is mostly a special teams contributor.

Zane Gonzalez K, hip (LP)

Gonzalez successfully banked in the game-winning field goal in the 1st-round of the playoffs. The Ford Field posts may not be so kind.

Ben Sinnott TE, shoulder (LP)

Sinnott is a part-time player on offense who has 5 receptions on the year. He has been under 10 offensive snaps in the past four games.

Jamison Crowder WR, hamstring/rest (NP)

Zach Ertz TE, rest (NP)

Clelin Ferrell DE, knee/rest (NP)

Dante Fowler LB, rest (NP)

John Bates TE, shoulder (FP)

Dominique Hampton LB, back (FP)

Marshon Lattimore CB, hamstring (FP)

Frankie Luvu LB, shoulder (FP)

Colson Yankoff TE, hamstring (FP)

Lions post-bye Monday medical update leading up to playoff game vs Commanders

Lions post-bye Monday medical update leading up to playoff game vs Commanders, with notes on Montgomery, Zeitler, Arnold and more

After enjoying a stress-free weekend of playoff football, the intensity dramatically ramps up this week as the Washington Commanders prepare to invade Detroit on Saturday night.

Let’s take a look at the injured Lions who might be available for the team’s first playoff game, as well as what to look for on the initial practice report.

LIKELY TO PLAY

David Montgomery – right MCL, December 15

Montgomery is likely to play on Saturday night which will be 5 weeks post-injury. Today, Campbell stated: “There will be a place for him in this game… it’s going to be good to get him back.”

Expect at least an LP (limited practice) on the first practice report.

 

Levi Onwuzurike – right ankle, January 5

Onwuzurike had a heavy wrap on the right ankle during the last game and limped off the field with trainers at one point. He finished the game logging 74% of snaps which is reassuring, but it’s something to monitor on the practice report. Hopefully, he doesn’t even show up on the report.

QUESTIONABLE TO PLAY

Terrion Arnold – right foot, January 5

The injury has been reported as a foot contusion by Ian Rapaport which is close to the best case outcome versus a significant sprain or fracture. Arnold has been in good spirits since the injury, and all early signs are positive. There is a good chance he’ll be ready for Saturday.

Hope for at least an LP on the first practice report which would suggest he’s on track to play.

Ennis Rakestraw – hamstring, November 23

After going on IR, Rakestraw’s practice window opened January 9 which was 7 weeks post-injury. For hamstrings, a gradual ramp-up can help prevent an aggravation. He’ll have two weeks of practice before the game which could be enough.

He’ll have at least an LP on the first practice report, but if he can manage an FP (full practice), there’s a good chance he’s available Saturday.

Kevin Zeitler – right hamstring, January 5

Early reports from Dan Campbell last week implied that the hamstring injury was mild. Like with Rakestraw, a hamstring strain benefits from a gradual ramp-up.

An LP or FP on the initial report would be a good sign for his availability on Saturday.

 

UNLIKELY TO PLAY

Pat O’Connor – calf, January 5

Likely this is a calf strain and Dan Campbell’s comments from last week were very pessimistic. Expect an NP (no practice) for most or all of this week. If he does make it to an LP or better, that would be a good sign he might be back at some point in these playoffs.

WON’T PLAY THIS WEEK BUT MAYBE LATER

Aidan Hutchinson – left tib/fib fracture, October 13

No change in status for Hutchinson as he continues his rehab while on IR. Dan Campbell last week was not optimistic, but I think there is still a decent chance of a limited return for the Super Bowl which is 17 weeks post-injury.

Hope to see Hutchinson’s 21-day practice window opened next week.

Carlton Davis – jaw fracture, December 15

The initial estimate for Davis was that he had a chance to be back for the conference championship game which would be 6 weeks post-injury. Last week however, Dan Campbell strongly suggested Davis was out for the season.

Davis is on IR so watch to see if his 21-day practice window opens in the next couple weeks.

 

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bischoff and Brown review Lions victory over the Vikings

Detroit Lions Podcast: Bischoff and Brown review Lions victory over the Vikings

The Detroit Lions are the Kings of the North! For the first time in franchise history, the Lions win consecutive NFC North Championships and they’ve clinched the one-seed in the NFC.

To review all of that and more is Scott Bischoff and Russell Brown on the Detroit Lions Podcast. The guys discuss the following:

  • Lions offense is powered by RB Jahmyr Gibbs
  • Alex Anzalone returns for the Lions defense and it paid off in a big way
  • Amik Robertson is an absolute dawg!
  • All that and more!

Be sure to rate, review and subscribe to the Detroit Lions Podcast on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts or wherever you get your favorite shows! You can also follow Scott and Russ on Twitter/X: @RussNFLDraft and @Bischoff_Scott

Dan Campbell offers updates on several injured Lions players ahead of the playoffs

Dan Campbell offers updates on several injured Lions players ahead of the playoffs, including a quick return for Montgomery and Arnold

In his first press conference since the Lions clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC postseason, Lions head coach Dan Campbell ran through a list of Detroit’s injured players. While not all news was positive, a couple of key players appear ready to come back right away,

David Montgomery

Detroit’s running back has been out since Week 15 with an MCL injury to his knee. After giving a positive update to NBC sideline reporter Melissa Stark on Sunday night, Campbell confirmed that Montgomery is expected to play in the Lions’ first playoff game.

Terrion Arnold and Kevin Zeitler

The two key starters who left the win over Minnesota with injuries got lumped together in a single comment by Campbell.

“We got better news on Zeitler and Arnold,” Campbell stated. “I can’t guarantee that they’re playing (In the division round) but it’s much better than it appeared to be when the injuries happened.

Arnold, the team’s first-round CB, injured his foot while making a tackle and getting caught in a little friendly fire. He was carted off the field from the sideline after being unable to put any weight on his foot. In his postgame press conference, Campbell had indicated that initial x-rays were negative, and Arnold has since stated he was ready to play.

[lawrence-related id=118225]

Right guard Zeitler left the Vikings game very late with an apparent hamstring injury.

Aidan Hutchinson

Nothing really new here on the Lions star pass rusher, who broke his lower leg in the win over Dallas. Campbell reiterated it’s unlikely but not impossible for a return from Hutchinson.

“He had a season-ending injury,” Campbell stated. “But if anybody can come back from this, it would be Aidan.”

Pat O’Connor

Campbell stated the news was “not as positive” on the veteran defensive lineman. O’Connor injured his calf in the win over Minnesota.

Ennis Rakestraw

“I do think there’s a chance we get (Rakestraw) back,” Campbell said of the rookie CB. “He’s trending the right way too.”

Rakestraw has been on injured reserve since suffering a hamstring injury in practice prior to the Week 12 matchup with the Jaguars. Rakestraw missed time earlier in the season with the same injury.

Ruled out for the rest of the postseason

Campbell ruled out two Lions defenders for the rest of the season. SAM backer Derrick Barnes, who has missed several months with a knee injury, was not a surprise.

Cornerback Carlton Davis was a little more noteworthy. Davis broke his jaw in Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He was already playing through a broken thumb. Campbell’s indication that Davis will not return means more outside CB reps for Amik Robertson, who was stellar in that role in the Week 18 win over Minnesota.

Terrion Arnold: ‘I’m playing’ in Divisional Round

Lions CB Terrion Arnold: declares “I’m playing” in Divisional Round despite a foot injury in the Week 18 win over the Vikings

Lions rookie cornerback says, despite a foot injury, he will play in the NFC Divisional Playoff in two weeks. “I’m playing,” he said, via the Detroit Free Press. Arnold suffered a foot injury during Sunday’s win over the Minnesota Vikings. The good news is his x-rays were negative.

Arnold was carted off the field during the third quarter after getting his foot stepped on by defensive lineman Al-Quadin Muhammad. Arnold does believe he avoided a serious injury.

“I had my moment where I talked to God,” Arnold said. “I just put it in his hands. And we got a bye week. We got the best trainers in the NFL and I feel comfortable and I feel like they can get me back. We are just going to put it in God’s hands.”

The Lions earned the NFC’s No. 1 seed, giving them a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Lions will host one of the Rams, Vikings, Commanders or Packers on either Saturday, January 18 or Sunday, January 19.

Arnold is the latest in a string of injuries for the Lions, including fellow cornerback Carlton Davis, who has been out since suffering a broken jaw in Week 15. Running back David Montgomery has also been out with a knee injury but is hoping to return for the Divisional Round.