The Detroit Lions released their Week 10 injury designations and they ruled out 3 players, including Taylor Decker. Za’Darius Smith remains an option to play and is questionable.
The Detroit Lions and Houston Texans have released their injury designation ahead of their Week 10 matchup on “Sunday Night Football.” Let’s take a look at Friday’s injury report and get you up to date with what we know. Note that any changes from last week’s report will be bolded.
Ruled OUT
- LT Taylor Decker (shoulder)
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez (ankle)
- LB Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck)
- DT Brodric Martin (knee) — Days remaining in injury evaluation window: 11
- CB Emmanuel Moseley (pec) — Days remaining in injury evaluation window: 18
- S Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle) — Days remaining in injury evaluation window: 18
Decker appeared to injure his shoulder ron Thursday and was unable to practice on Friday and has officially been ruled out.
It’s not entirely clear how the Lions will handle his absence. If they don’t want to adjust the offensive line, they would plug Dan Skipper into the left tackle spot and go with the next man up. They could opt to flip Penei Sewell to the left side, as they’ve done in the past, and push Colby Sorsdal into the starting right tackle spot. But with Decker’s injruy coming so late in the week, would they have enough time to make that adjustment? We are certainly in a wait and see situation.
Rodroguez and Reeves-Maybin were not able to practice all week and will not be available to play on Sunday—this will be Rodriguez’s second consecutive game missed. Look for the Lions to have Trevor Nowaske step into a larger role as the team’s third linebacker, with Ben Niemann as LB4. On special teams, this could mean we see some decision surrounding inactive be made with special teams in mind, and a player like safety Loren Strickland could be active to fill a role in the third phase of the game.
Martin, Moseley, and Melifonwu all remain in the evaluation window and will be able to practice again next week. Martin has just over a week left in his process, while the other two have just over two weeks available to them.
Questionable
- EDGE Za’Darius Smith (personal)
Smith was given two days off following his trade to Detroit and was on the practice field for first time as a Lion on Friday. Unfortunately, they are not entirely sure if he’ll be ready to step into a role on game day.
“We’ll have him out there, get him moving around a little bit and we’re prepared to see what we can do and where we can go with it,” Campbell said Friday morning.
As a veteran Smith told the media he feels confident he’ll pick things up quick and alluded to the fact that he wants to play, but also reaffirmed that the decision was up to coaches.
“It’s more about just getting the plays in, and knowing the blitzes,” Smith said. “They basically want me to be on cue for the blitzes, so hopefully something can work out here in the next 24 hours.”
Not listed with an injury designation
- RB Sione Vaki (knee)
- DL Josh Paschal (illness)
- DL Mekhi Wingo (ankle)
All the players in this section are not listed with an injury designation for the game and will be available and expected to play on Sunday. Vaki will give special teams a big left, while Paschal will likely return to a starting edge role, while Wingo will add more depth for the defensive line as a whole.
Texans’ injury designations
Note: Starters are bolded.
Ruled OUT
- RB Dameon Pierce (groin)
- LG Kenyon Green (shoulder) — placed on Injured Reserve
- EDGE Will Anderson Jr. (ankle)
Questionable
- WR Nico Collins (hamstring) — Still on IR, in evaluation window, limited practice on Friday
- WR Tank Dell (back) — added to the injury report Friday
- DT Folorunso Fatukasi (groin, shoulder) — did not practice this week
- LB Jake Hansen (ankle) — Limited Wednesday, did not practice Thursday or Friday
- EDGE Jerry Hughes (hip) — Still on IR, in evaluation window
- CB Jeff Okudah (quad) — Still on IR, in evaluation window
Full practice
- RG Shaq Mason (hip)
- IOL Jarrett Patterson (concussion) — expected to return to action this week
- EDGE Derek Barnett (calf, shoulder)
- EDGE Dylan Horton (illness)
- LB Azeez Al-Shaair (knee) — expected to return to action this week
- S Jimmie Ward (groin) — expected to return to action this week