Getty Rick Wagner holds off a Bears player in Chicago in 2017.
The Detroit Lions are going to be challenged on a short week against a divisional foe in the Minnesota Vikings, and one of the biggest obstacles they will face again is the issue of health.
This week, the Lions continue to battle the injury bug on multiple fronts as they attempt to get healthy in time for the game against the Vikings, which could be very significant to the NFC North.
Here’s a look at some of the team’s notable cases this week and their statuses.
Mike Daniels, DT
Wednesday: Out (Foot)
Thursday: Out
Friday: Out
Status: Out
The Lions didn’t have Daniels in Green Bay, and it doesn’t look like he will be a go this week as the team gets going again. He missed practice both days this week with the same injury that has kept him out of the last two games. The Lions are trying to nurse Daniels back to health, but it’s fair to wonder if this injury was worse than Matt Patricia led on when he said it was a day to day thing a few weeks back.
Amani Oruwariye, CB
Wednesday: Out
Thursday: Out
Friday: Out
Status: Out
The Lions didn’t have Oruwariye last week, and with him being out at cornerback the last two days, he likely won’t be on the field again this weekend to face the Vikings. Obviously, the knee injury is going to take some time to shake off, which looks to be the case.
Quandre Diggs, S
Wednesday: Limited (Hamstring)
Thursday: Limited
Friday: Limited
Status: Questionable
Diggs missed the game against the Packers last week which was bad news for the Lions and their secondary, and the fact he has been limited this week casts a shadow over his ability to play this week too on a short turnaround. It will depend on how close he was to playing Monday if he can go now, but the hamstring ailment can always be a nag.
Da’Shawn Hand, DT
Wednesday: Limited (Elbow)
Thursday: Limited
Friday: Limited
Status: Questionable
The Lions keep trying to inch Hand back to health and he continues to be limited. That doesn’t mean much for his status this week, as the Lions got him back on the field last week and then held him out of the game. Detroit could miss Hand another week as they attempt to ease him back off the elbow.
Darius Slay, CB
Wednesday: Limited (Hamstring)
Thursday: Limited
Friday: Limited
Status: Questionable
Slay played last week in spite of hamstring trouble, which was left over from a few weeks back in Philadelphia. It didn’t seem to give Slay much trouble in Green Bay, but the fact he is limited this week is interesting. Perhaps they are trying to take some stress off of him ahead of an important game against Stefon Diggs and the Vikings.
Rick Wagner
Wednesday: Limited (Knee)
Thursday: Limited
Friday: Limited
Status: Questionable
The Lions won’t like to see Wagner, one of their important tackles, limited by injury, especially a knee, something which is vital to an offensive lineman for fluid movement. Though Wagner is limited, it is positive to not see him listed as completely out for the game at this point.
A’Shawn Robinson, DT
Wednesday: Limited (Knee)
Thursday: Full
Friday: Full
Robinson shook off injury in time to play Monday, and the fact that he went from limited to full was good news for the Lions this week. They need him to plug the line, and to see him up front in order to shut down a solid rush attack for the Vikings. He is good to go for the weekend.
Matthew Stafford, QB
Wednesday: Full (Hip)
Thursday: Full
Friday: Full
Stafford, unsurprisingly, played and played well in Green Bay. The hip injury is still bothering him obviously, but it’s not wise to think he will do anything other than play all things considered as tough as Stafford always is. He’s in.
Logan Thomas, TE
Wednesday: Limited (Shoulder)
Thursday: Full
Friday: Full
Just like Robinson, it was good to see Thomas get back into the fold in full for practice off a shoulder injury. With this knowledge, he should be able to go. And when the statuses came out, he wasn’t listed.
Nick Bawden, FB
Friday: Limited (Back)
Status: Questionable
Bawden is a surprise pop up on the report this week and is questionable to go on Sunday.
READ NEXT: New Billboards Hammer Referees From Lions-Packers