“It’s just a flesh wound.”
If only this were a movie — where, even without two arms and two legs, you could still battle on like in Monty Python. Unfortunately, as close to gladiators as football players are, injuries are real, and when you’re hurt, the only thing to do is rest and heal.
The Detroit Lions and their fans are no strangers to injuries. Last year, the injury bug derailed what was the best regular season in franchise history (15-2), forcing Detroit to send players straight from the couch into the playoff spotlight.
Every NFL team deals with injuries throughout the year, but last season was something special in Detroit. With an overwhelming number of players landing on injured reserve, it felt like every week a new face filled an empty spot. By the end, watching fourth and fifth stringers try to contain Jayden Daniels left a scar deep within Lions fans.
But this is a new season — and there’s no way we’ll see that kind of injury plague again, right?
Well… not so fast, Lions fans. The injury bug had kept its distance for most of the season — a few bumps and bruises here and there, but nothing major. That is, until Week 6. Suddenly, it’s back, jumping out of the shadows like a teenager on Devil’s Night, here to scare us out of our gourds.
It started last week with D.J. Reed being placed on IR. Then Terrion Arnold went down during the Cincinnati game. Not catastrophic, but enough to raise concern. The Lions didn’t have much depth at cornerback to begin with, though the best safety tandem in the NFL offered some relief heading into a tough matchup against Kansas City.
Then came the Friday injury report — and jaws dropped.
Outs
- D.J. Reed — On IR, out for the game.
- Terrion Arnold — Ruled out; Lions down their top two cornerbacks.
- Alim McNeill — Full participant this week, still ramping up from a torn ACL; ruled out vs. Kansas City.
- Sione Vaki — Continues to battle through an injury that’s sidelined him most of the year.
- Zac Cunningham — Depth linebacker, also ruled out.
Questionables
- Brian Branch (ankle) — Limited Wed/Thu, no practice Fri.
- Kerby Joseph (knee) — No practice all week.
- Avonte Maddox (hamstring) — Limited Thu, no practice Fri.
Those first two names are must-haves on the field, especially with the top corners already out. Kerby’s battled pain all season, so seeing him pop up late is nothing new, but still hate to see it. But Branch being on the list is downright nerve-racking. The Lions can’t expect to contain one of the league’s best quarterbacks for 60 minutes with four backups in the secondary.
Hopefully, Branch’s Friday absence was just a rest day after limited work all week. Kerby missing all practices is worrisome — though he’s a dawg who’s played through worse. Maddox’s late-week injury adds more trouble, as he was expected to be one of just three active backups, now starting, corners.
It won’t matter how good Hutchinson and the defensive line play if the Lions are sending middle schoolers out to play corner against Mahomes.
Speaking of the D-line — it’s at least encouraging to see that group mostly unscathed outside of McNeill. That’s a big improvement from last season, when injuries up front piled up fast.
On the offensive side, Taylor Decker — who missed last week — did not practice all week with a shoulder injury and is questionable. His replacement, Giovanni Manu, also popped up as questionable after missing Friday’s practice with a knee issue.
Kalif Raymond was limited Thursday and Friday and is questionable. Amon-Ra St. Brown, however, was a full participant Thursday and Friday after missing Wednesday, and he’s expected to be a full go Sunday.
The Lions head to Arrowhead Stadium on Sunday Night Football, under the national spotlight once again. Last time they played in primetime, nobody believed they could beat the Ravens — yet they went in and took what was theirs: a win.
Now they’re back in the lights, banged up and undermanned, against a healthy Chiefs squad. No “asterisk” win talk this time — if the Lions pull this off, it’ll be earned the hard way.
Grit. Next man up. That’s Detroit.