The Detroit Lions are staring down a critical Christmas Day matchup against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 17, and one of their biggest offensive weapons, Amon-Ra St. Brown, is officially a question mark heading into the holiday showdown.
St. Brown is nursing a knee injury he picked up during the Lions’ Week 16 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The injury kept him out of Monday’s practice-a concerning sign given the short turnaround this week. But there’s at least a glimmer of optimism coming out of Allen Park.
On Tuesday, the Lions held a walkthrough instead of a full practice, and the team listed St. Brown as a limited participant on the estimated injury report.
That’s a step forward from Monday, when he was completely sidelined. Head coach Dan Campbell acknowledged there’s still some “irritation” in the knee, but didn’t rule out the possibility of St.
Brown suiting up on Christmas.
“Yeah, it’s positive news, but he’s a little irritated,” Campbell said Tuesday. “There’s a little irritation.
Short week. We’ll see, but I would say it’s still positive news.”
That’s about as hopeful as it gets this late in the season when every snap matters. The Lions are in the thick of the playoff race, and St.
Brown has been the heartbeat of their passing game all year. His ability to find soft spots in coverage, move the chains, and come up big in key moments has been a defining element of Detroit’s offensive identity.
Without him, the Lions would have to lean more heavily on the rest of their receiving corps and the run game, which has been solid but not quite the same without the attention St. Brown commands from opposing defenses. His presence changes how teams game-plan-he’s that kind of player.
So, while nothing is certain yet, the fact that he’s trending in the right direction-however slightly-is a storyline worth watching closely. With the Lions needing every edge they can get in a must-win divisional game, St. Brown’s availability could be the difference between keeping their postseason hopes on track or facing a much tougher road in Week 18.
Stay tuned.