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The Detroit Lions are heading into their annual Thanksgiving game, and they’ll take on Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears on Turkey Day. Heading into the game, the team is pretty banged up, and their final injury report before the matchup brings some bad news.
The Lions listed several starters as questionable going into the Bears game, and they’ve ruled two out.
Final Detroit Lions Injury Report Before Chicago Bears Game
Lions left tackle Taylor Decker and cornerback Carlton Davis have been ruled out for Thursday’s game. With Decker out, Dan Skipper will likely step into the rule, which he did in the Lions’ games against the Texans and Colts. Jamarco Jones will also likely be tapped to help fill some gaps. Davis being ruled out is a blow to the Lions, but the team has options, including relying on Kindle Vildor.
Another slate of bad news came earlier on Wednesday, when wide receiver Kalif Raymond was put on injury reserve. He won’t be able to rejoin the team until Week 17, when the Lions take on the 49ers.
Also on Wednesday’s final injury report, running back David Montgomery and wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown were named questionable, but both will be active against the Bears, according to the Lions.
Montgomery injured his shoulder in the Lions’ game against the Colts. Of course, Montgomery is a former member of the Bears, so he’ll be looking forward to the opportunity to go up against his old team.
When asked if Montgomery would be sidelined on Thanksgiving, Lions head coach Dan Campbell told reporters, according to the Free Press, “Oh heck no, are you kidding me? No, no, no. And look, David last week was – he wanted to get back in that game. He was good and I held him back just to be on the safe side and he was not happy.”
When St. Brown was asked by reporters on Wednesday if he thinks he’ll be ready to play against the Bears, he replied, “Yeah. I feel good,” so that’s some good news.
Two Lions players were also placed on the injury report without a designation: defensive tackle DJ Reader and cornerback Terrion Arnold.
On the Bears side of things, defensive back Elijah Hicks and offensive lineman Ryan Bates are out.
NFL Analysts and Experts Pick Favorites in Lions, Bears Game
It’s not all doom and gloom for Detroit. In a November 27 feature by Jon Hoefling of USA Today, all four of USA Today’s experts picked the Lions to win on Thanksgiving.
“Until someone can prove it, it’s not worth betting against this incredible Lions team,” noted Jordan Mendoza, calling for a 29-17 Lions victory. “The spread is large, but Detroit has won four of its last five by double-digits.”
“This is indeed a big line, but Detroit has been thoroughly dismantling all opponents it is facing,” added Lorenzo Reyes, giving Detroit a 28-13 win over Chicago. “The Bears have been better the last two weeks with Thomas Brown running the offense, but Detroit outmatches Chicago across the board.”
Over at NBC’s Pro Football Talk, Mike Florio and Michael Holley also picked the Lions to win on Thanksgiving.
On the other hand, Peter Dewey of Sports Illustrated says that the Lions being 10.5 point favorites is a stretch, but “I still think the Lions win.” He adds, “Let’s not forget, the Lions haven’t won on Thanksgiving in over half a decade. So, it may not be crazy to think that they’ll struggle a little on the holiday in 2024. “
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