The latest on Taylor Decker’s injury, and why he felt guilty about missing the Detroit Lions’ latest game.
There doesn’t seem much in life that makes Detroit Lions left tackle Taylor Decker feel more—in his words—”shitty” than missing an opportunity to play football with his teammates. He may be in year nine of his career, but it’s clear he still highly values every chance he gets to take the field.
“Every game is important to me,” Decker said. “We only get to play 17, and, you know, all things are pointing to us being in the playoffs, of course. I have had plenty of seasons where we don’t get to ( the playoffs), so every game is important to me.
“… The biggest thing when you’re used to being out there with your teammates and guys you’ve played a lot of football with, when you’re not out there, it’s just a shitty feeling. It doesn’t feel good. You want to be out there whether it’s Week 10 and you’re mathematically eliminated or it’s Week 10 and you’re rolling. That doesn’t change my desire to be out there and play.”
So, naturally, last week was tough Decker. He suffered an injury during last Thursday’s practice which he described as a rotator cuff strain. It was an injury to the same shoulder that required labrum surgery in 2017 and was right next to where he had a pectoral strain earlier this season. So, out of caution, the Lions held him out for their Sunday night tilt with the Houston Texans. He had no choice but to watch from his bed at home as the Lions struggled for three quarters against the Texans before finally pulling through at the end. That’s not something Decker takes lightly.
“I felt personally responsible for the first half of that game, and I’m not saying that jokingly,” Decker said. “I felt really bad, even though I know it was in my best interest and the team’s best interest to sit that one out. (But) just when you’re not out there with your guys, especially when it’s guys that you’ve played with as much as I’ve played with some of these guys on offense, it’s like a guilty feeling. It really is.”
Without Decker, the Lions offensive line struggled. The Texans didn’t officially record a sack, but a few quarterback pressures resulted in Jared Goff turnovers, and Detroit managed just seven points through the first two quarters. Dan Skipper, Decker’s replacement at left tackle, made his first career start at the tackle position, and according to PFF, he was responsible for three of the Texans’ 11 pressures. That said, Decker was impressed with Skipper’s effort.
“Skip did a hell of a job,” Decker said. “I texted him right after. He battled his ass off. I know they said they were trying to keep him alive out there; he had like three IVs or something. I think I saw before the game he only has had a handful of snaps at tackle, so incredible by him to go out there and be able to perform.”
This week, it’s unclear if Decker will return to the lineup. Coach Dan Campbell expressed optimism on Wednesday afternoon, and Decker followed that up by saying the plan, as of now, is to play vs. the Jaguars. But Decker knows that if it’s up to him every week, he’s going to play, even to his own detriment. That’s why he’s instructed Lions medical staff to intervene, if necessary.
“‘If I’m being stupid, I need you to protect me from myself,’” Decker said he has told team doctors. “That’s their job and that’s what they do.”
