The Detroit Lions (12-2) misplaced their Week 15 recreation to the Buffalo Bills, and the information did not get any higher as two of their greatest defensive gamers suffered critical accidents on Sunday.
Defensive sort out Alim McNeill tore his ACL within the loss, whereas cornerback Carlton Davis II fractured his jaw, Lions head coach Dan Campbell confirmed on Monday. McNeil’s season is over, whereas Davis is anticipated to endure surgical procedure and stay out indefinitely.
“Mac [McNeill] is out for the 12 months,” Campbell mentioned on Monday. “He has a knee damage that’s going to require surgical procedure. CD [Carlton Davis], he has a jaw [injury]. He’ll be out. Those guys helped us get so far, so we owe it to them. They laid it on the road for us.”
These are simply the most recent in an absurd string of accidents which have troubled Detroit’s protection. In addition to McNeill and Davis, Detroit has seen every of Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, John Cominsky, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Emmanuel Moseley and Ifeatu Melifonwu land on injured reserve already this season. And gamers like Levi Onwuzurike, D.J. Reader, Josh Paschal, Brian Branch and Terrion Arnold have every missed at the very least one recreation as a consequence of damage as nicely.
| John Cominsky | Torn MCL | 14 | Yes |
| Ifeatu Melifonwu | Ankle, Finger | 14 | Yes |
| Emmanuel Moseley | Torn pectoral | 13 | Returned |
| Marcus Davenport | Torn triceps | 12 | Yes |
| Derrick Barnes | Torn MCL and PCL | 11 | Yes |
| Aidan Hutchinson | Broken tibia and fibula | 9 | Yes |
| Jalen Reeves-Maybin | Neck | 8 | Yes |
| Ennis Rakestraw Jr. | Hamstring | 6 | Yes |
| Alex Anzalone | Broken arm | 5 | Yes |
| Malcolm Rodriguez | Torn ACL | 4 | Yes |
| Josh Paschal | Foot | 3 | No |
| D.J. Reader | Shoulder | 2 | No |
| Levi Onwzurike | Hamstring | 1 | No |
| Brian Branch | Concussion | 1 | No |
| Terrion Arnold | Groin | 1 | No |
| Carlton Davis | Broken jaw | 1 | TBD |
| Alim McNeill | Torn ACL | TBD | TBD |
| Khalil Dorsey | Fractured leg | TBD | TBD |
The Lions have for essentially the most half been in a position to climate the storm regardless of the entire absences, however issues snowballed on Sunday because the Bills repeatedly marched up and down the sphere, racking up 559 yards and 48 factors. The workforce nonetheless seems like one of many prime contenders within the NFC this season, due to its personal marvelously environment friendly offense, however at a sure level, the defensive accidents could also be an excessive amount of to beat — even with defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn coaxing sturdy performances out of his unit’s varied damage replacements.
Down the stretch of the season, the Lions must rely much more on gamers like Reader, Onwuzurike and Pat O’Connor on the defensive inside, in addition to Arnold, Amik Robertson and Kindle Vildor at nook. If and the way they’re in a position to maintain up in these spots shall be one of the necessary issues to observe heading into the postseason.
