The Lions head into Sunday afternoon’s rivalry game against the Packers in unusually good shape on the injury front, while Green Bay is dealing with a setback that landed one of its defensive captains on the ruled-out list.
Detroit and Green Bay both released their Week 7 injury designations ahead of the matchup at Ford Field, and the contrast was clear: the Lions had no one officially ruled out, while the Packers had to make a significant adjustment after a fluky injury.
For Detroit, the main names on the report are more about paperwork than concern. Center Cade Mays, who is listed with a wrist injury, is expected to be removed from IR this week.
Safety Brian Branch, listed with an Achilles injury, is also expected to come off PUP this week. Both are still showing up on the injury report as questionable, but that appears to be a formality.
The Lions are expected to activate both players on Saturday, and both should be in the lineup against Green Bay.
Dan Campbell has already said Mays is expected to start at center and handle the full game. Branch’s situation is a little different, with the Lions planning to be careful while still getting him back in the mix. Campbell said:
“ Yeah, we’ve got a pretty good idea with him. We’re going to let him go here and we’ll be smart, but he’s ready to play. ”
Another Detroit name to watch is cornerback Rock Ya-Sin, who is listed as questionable with a hamstring injury. Ya-Sin sat out the Lions’ Week 5 game against the Cardinals, then improved over the bye week and has been limited in practice this week. Detroit may ease him back in, but there is incentive to get him on the field again because of what he can do in multiple phases of special teams.
On the Green Bay side, linebacker Zaire Franklin has been ruled out with a shin injury.
In Other News...
Lions Pass Rush Could Finally Flip A Frustrating Jordan Love Trend
Jordan Love has made a habit of staying in control against Detroit, but the Lions have reasons to think this matchup can look different. Love has never topped 300 passing yards in seven career starts against the Lions, and his high-water mark in the series came last season at 273 yards. Even as Detroit has dealt with its own issues defending the pass this year, the one area that can alter the script is the front seven, where the Lions have enough rush to make life uncomfortable on any quarterback.
Jordan Loves protection has become a bigger concern, too, with Green Bays offensive line hit by injuries in recent weeks. For Detroit, that creates a possible opening to turn a familiar frustrating trend into something more meaningful by getting after Love before plays can develop downfield. If the Lions can make him work under pressure, they may finally have the kind of defensive edge that has been missing in this matchup. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Secondary Pressure Suddenly Falls On Ennis Rakestraw Against Packers
Ennis Rakestraw has barely had a chance to settle into a real role in the Lions secondary this season, working mostly as an outside cornerback in limited defensive snaps. Even in that small sample, he has given up five catches on 11 targets and a 63.8 passer rating against him, but his coverage has still been steadier than what Detroit has gotten from some of its other cornerbacks.
Now the spotlight is shifting quickly. With Week 7 bringing a trip to face the Packers, Rakestraw is set for a much bigger workload, and the way he handles that assignment could carry more weight than just one afternoon in Green Bay. A solid showing against Christian Watson and Matthew Golden would give the Lions a better read on what they already have, while also shaping how urgently they need to pursue more help at cornerback. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Finally Addressed Sam LaPortas Contract Frustration
Sam LaPortas frustration over not getting a contract extension had enough traction to draw a response from Dan Campbell, and the Lions coach made it clear the team is treating the situation as part of the normal churn around a young star. Campbell addressed the media and framed LaPortas comments as the kind of thing that can surface when a player has been waiting on a deal, rather than a sign of anything deeper going on around the tight end.
Inside the building, the message is apparently calm rather than alarmed, with Campbell stressing that the remarks are not being taken personally. He also said LaPorta remains focused and ready to play, describing the comments as pent-up frustration and not something that says anything about his character, which is about as direct a line as a coach can draw without turning the issue into a bigger story. [Read more 🡒]