The Detroit Lions’ Wednesday injury report was as long as it’s been all season. On top of Jimmy Rolder being placed on injured reserve earlier this week, the following Lions players were estimated to not be able to practice:
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C Cade Mays (ankle)
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EDGE DJ Wonnum (concussion)
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LB Jack Campbell (neck)
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CB D.J. Reed (hip)
Additionally, these players were estimated to be limited in practice:
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RB Jacob Saylors (neck)
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WR Amon-Ra St. Brown (rib)
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LB Amen Ogbongbemiga (toe)
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S Kerby Joseph (knee)
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S Brian Branch (concussion)
That’s six Lions defenders and nine total players with their status up in the air this week. It’s far too early to declare any of these players definitively out this week (outside of Kerby Joseph—Dan Campbell already said he won’t play this week—and Jack Campbell), but there’s a pretty good likelihood the Lions will be missing at least a couple of these players.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
Which Lions players need to step up the most vs. the Dolphins?
My answer: It feels like the answer has to come on defense. With Campbell and Rolder out, there will certainly be a ton of extra pressure on the linebacker room. Derrick Barnes, Malcolm Rodriguez, and Trevor Nowaske are the most likely starters for Detroit this week, and we’ve seen a lot of ups and downs from this group. The good news is that they all have plenty of experience on defense. The bad news is that none of them bring the consistent play-making ability of Campbell, nor the leadership of Detroit’s defensive captain.
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But relief can also come from a different position. Covering the middle of the field has been a challenge, and it’s not necessarily a strength of the current linebacking corps. This would be a huge week for the safeties to step up. While it’s unclear if Branch will be available this week, I’m really looking for Chuck Clark and Keith Abney to elevate their games. Abney has been up and down, as you’d expect from a rookie who made a midseason shift from cornerback to safety. But I’ve been pretty disappointed with how Clark has played. He was supposed to bring communication and discipline to the position, but mental errors have plagued the backend (admittedly, not all his fault).
Malik Willis is not afraid to throw deep or utilize the middle of the field, so I’d love to see a clean game from the safeties to help out the ailing linebacker position.
Which players do you think need to step up this week vs. the Dolphins? Share your answers in the comment section below.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: Sports.yahoo.com
