Getty D'Andre Swift during a Lions game against the 49ers.
The Detroit Lions emerged from a competitive Week 1 battle with some injury issues a few of their big-time contributors, and there are more than a few cases worth monitoring as the team prepares to close out Week 2 on Monday Night Football.
Detroit is dinged up a bit on both sides of the ball, but at this time, it seems the more significant injuries do lie on the offensive side of things. Detroit needs to rest up and get ready for Monday and a quick turnaround for Week 3. Health will be a big way they hope to get this done.
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So what does the injury report look like this week? Here’s a look at how things get started for Week 2.
Lions Week 2 Injury Report vs. Packers
As a whole, the news seems bad for the Lions on Williams, who coach Dan Campbell admitted is likely up in th air in terms of status for this week. Defensively, the lions could ill-afford to lose Romeo Okwara, Trey Flowers or Michael Brockers at all, so seeing how those players respond during the weekend will be key. On the offensive side, Williams and Swift did plenty of damage last week, but it appears to have come at a cost in terms of their health. The Lions need both of them to feel healthy in order o make a big difference on the ground. This week, it seems as if the Lions will be able to feel good about the status of rookie lineman Levi Onwuzurike, who missed Week 1 with injury but is on the mend now.
Lions vs. Packers Preview
Both teams come into a critical Week 2 divisional rivalry game an unsatisfying 0-1, but each team likely feels a lot different about that record. The Packers have to feel more than a bit down about a 38-3 thrashing at the hands of New Orleans, while the Lions have to feel at least decently good about a narrow 41-33 defeat against San Francisco in which they had a furious rally during the fourth-quarter.
The Lions lost both games to the Packers last season including an early-season blowout at Lambeau Field, but had a more narrow loss at Ford Field. If there is anything the team can hope for, it’s a carry over of the attitude they showed late in the game in Week 1. If that happens and the Packers are flat, an upset could be in the cards.
Obviously, for that to happen, the Lions will have to be in good shape with health. Watching these cases the rest of the week and weekend will be important.