Getty Desmond Trufant after a game.
The Detroit Lions are getting healthier as they push toward a vital second half of the 2020 season, and their injury report is looking better than ever hurdling towards a key game with the Indianapolis Colts.
Detroit is still missing one of their best defenders on the back end, but he is trying to craft a long awaited comeback. The Lions started healthy, but picked up a few new ailments as the week has pressed on which merit monitoring for the weekend even though they may not look as severe. Now, they might be missing one of their best players for Sunday.
What is the latest on how the report shapes up for Week 8 and the designations before the game? Here’s a look.
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, LB
Wednesday: No practice (Not injury related)
Thursday: No practice
Friday: No practice
Designation: Questionable
Status: In
Fear not Lions fans, for Reeves-Maybin’s absence is not COVID related either, so it’s just a personal day for the Lions linebacker and could be a situation where he had to be out of the building temporarily. Good to hear this isn’t COVID related and the hope is that Reeves-Maybin can get back in the fold quick. He could play.
Desmond Trufant, CB
Wednesday: No practice (Hamstring)
Thursday: Limited
Friday: Limited
Designation: Questionable
Status: Out
Trufant looked like a bet to return last week, but once again had to sit out of practice. That’s bad news as it relates to his status for the week, but the hope is he could get healthy enough in time to come back. It will be worth monitoring the rest of the week. The fact he was limited seems to be good news for Detroit’s cornerback who they need back big. It will be a game time decision again, and he sits.
Taylor Decker, T
Wednesday: Not listed
Thursday: Limited practice (Shoulder)
Friday: No practice
Designation: Questionable
Status: In
Decker has been one of the most important Lions this entire season, so to see him on the report with a shoulder injury is tough news this week. The hope is he can play and push through it, but a shoulder is tough for an offensive lineman considering the balance needed at the position. This is one to watch for sure given how well Decker has played, and he could be out if he isn’t well.
Adrian Peterson, RB
Wednesday: Not listed
Thursday: Limited practice (Abdomen)
Friday: Full practice
Designation: In
Peterson has been relatively healthy this season, but picks up a new abdomen injury that might cloud his status against the Colts this week. Peterson is conditioned well so the hope and feeling is that he can get over this, but it will be worth watching seeing as he is a key member of what has become a decent tandem backfield this year in Detroit. He will play this weekend.
Darryl Roberts, CB
Wednesday: Not listed
Thursday: Limited practice (Groin/hip)
Friday: Limited
Designation: Questionable
Status: In
Roberts has played a critical depth role for the Lions this season on the back end, so losing him wouldn’t be great for Detroit, who needs to maintain as much health as possible on the back end. The Lions need Roberts healthy, so will have to watch this pair of injuries closely this week.
Here are the rest of the inactives for Lions
Lions Inactives
Quintez Cephus, WR
Mike Ford, CB
Logan Stenberg, G
David Blough, QB
Lions Health Coming Back
Even in spite of these road bumps, the Lions look to be getting a bit healthier in some important ways this week. Detroit started the season in dire straits in terms of health, with multiple big name starters getting sat down and injury struggles through the first few weeks. Plenty of that came from having no offseason program, live conditioning or training camp. The good news? So far their health is coming back and the bye week has been a big reason why. Detroit’s also stayed healthy for their last pair of weeks on the field which is excellent news for them.
Significance of Lions vs. Colts Game
It will be good to have a virtually healthy roster for the Lions in this game. Detroit needs this game against the 4-2 Colts in order to bolster their playoff resume. It could be a big tipping point for the season. A win could get the Lions back on track and keep them as a major player in the NFC race moving forward the rest of the season. It could also legitimize them in the minds of fans and pundits who assert they’ve only been beating bad teams lately amid their winning streak.
Sunday’s win moved the Lions to 3-3 and firmly back in the mix in terms of the NFC playoff picture. The Lions will be battling teams like Carolina, New Orleans, Arizona, Los Angeles and company in the weeks ahead. The win did a good job to help Detroit keep pace and keep them in the picture for the rest of the season. A loss and a 2-4 record would have been a death blow early in the season, but the Lions won themselves a shot at yet another week of relevancy in the standings.
With the expanded NFL postseason coming in 2020, the Lions need only keep winning to give themselves a shot. Detroit could have been positioned significantly well with a better start to the season, but they are firmly back in play for the second half of the season to chase down a playoff bid.
It’s good news for the team to be getting back a tiny bit of health for the game.
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