Getty
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown of the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions need a win against the Dallas Cowboys on “Thursday Night Football” to keep pace in the NFC North Division and the conference playoff race as a whole, but some of their very best players are in a bad way from a health perspective.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reported on Wednesday, December 3 that wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown is a “long shot” to play with an ankle injury, while safety Brian Branch and elite offensive tackle Penei Sewell both remain question marks with shoulder issues.
“Make no mistake: This is a team that is hurting and a bit worn down while dealing with all the injuries in real time — for the second straight year,” Fowler wrote. “The Lions also have the makeup to rally in a short week.”
Other prominent Lions facing injury concerns this week are safety Kerby Joseph, who Fowler also described as a “long shot” to play with a knee problem, and tackle Taylor Decker, who Fowler said he expects will play despite a shoulder injury.
Cornerback Terrion Arnold is headed to the injured reserve list (IR) with a shoulder issue of his own and could be done for the season.
Lions’ Chances to Make Playoffs Will Drop Considerably With Loss to Cowboys
GettyDetroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell.
Detroit has lost two of its last three games, both by a touchdown to the Philadelphia Eagles three weeks ago and the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving Day.
With a record of 7-5, the Lions trail both the Packers (8-3-1) and the NFC-leading Chicago Bears (9-3) within the division. Detroit is currently on the outside looking in at the playoff picture, sitting in the No. 8 spot.
The Lions have a 42 percent chance to make the seven-team NFC field as of Thursday. Those odds will increase to 55 percent with a win over the Cowboys, currently the No. 9 team in the conference, or drop to just 20 percent with a loss.
Cowboys Healthier, Hotter Than Lions Heading Into Week 14
GettyCornerback Trevon Diggs of the Dallas Cowboys.
Dallas, meanwhile, has won three games in a row and is among the hottest teams in the NFL. The last two have come at home against the defending NFC and AFC champions in the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs, with the former victory matching the Cowboys’ biggest comeback in franchise history (21 points).
At 6-5-1, Dallas is also facing a make-or-break contest in Detroit on Thursday. If the Cowboys win, they will have a 39 percent chance to make the playoffs, while a loss drops them to single-digits (9 percent).
There is no question that the Cowboys have more momentum coming into the Week 14 contest against the Lions, and they are also considerably healthier.
“The Cowboys are hopeful for pass rusher Jadeveon Clowney (hamstring) despite DNPs Monday and Tuesday. He will likely need to test out the hamstring pregame, though,” Fowler wrote. “Corner Trevon Diggs (concussion) is not a slam dunk. … He’s working to get back, but getting back into football shape after a month away takes time.”
The Lions are three-point favorites to beat the Cowboys at Ford Field as of Thursday morning, according to DraftKings Sportsbook.
Max Dible covers the NFL, NBA and MLB for Heavy.com, with a focus on the Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, Chicago Bears and Cleveland Browns. He covered local and statewide news as a reporter for West Hawaii Today and served as news director for BigIslandNow.com and Pacific Media Group’s family of Big Island radio stations before joining Heavy. More about Max Dible
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