A new foot injury for cornerback D.J. Reed landed on the Detroit Lions’ injury report Tuesday, and if you’re a fan watching this team, you gotta feel that gut punch. Talk about bad timing, especially with a Thursday night showdown against the Buffalo Bills looming on a short week. This fresh concern for a key defensive player is exactly what you don’t want when you’re prepping for a tough opponent without much turnaround time.
Pacheco’s Brutal IR News and O-Line Concerns
The Reed news is a fresh blow, but the biggest hit the Lions’ roster took this week has to be running back Isiah Pacheco. The dude’s on injured reserve, expected to be out until December, recovering from an MCL and back injury. Coach Dan Campbell said Monday it was “going to be a while” for Pacheco to get back on the field, and then NFL Insider Ian Rapoport confirmed that nerve surgery in his back means a roughly 12-week recovery. That’s a massive hole to fill in the backfield for basically the entire first half of the season.
And it’s not just the backfield. The offensive line also has its share of question marks. Left guard Christian Mahogany is dealing with a hip injury, and while Campbell said it’s “not something serious long-term,” he also admitted it “could be tough to get him ready for Thursday.” Sounds like we’ll probably see Ben Bartch stepping in. Then there’s right tackle Blake Miller, who’s battling a knee issue. Campbell was less clear on Miller’s status, needing more info, but Miller himself sounded way more optimistic, telling the media, “I’m doing everything I humanly can to get my body feeling the best it can feel. Even with the progress just today that I’ve made, I’m happy, and I’m optimistic.” You gotta love that fire, even if it’s a bit of a gamble. All three of these guys were estimated no practice Tuesday, which is a big deal for a short week.
New Woes for Reed, Hope for Scruggs and Izien
While Pacheco’s out for the long haul, the D.J. Reed situation is way more immediate and shrouded in mystery. He was estimated limited practice due to a foot injury, but since Campbell isn’t talking until *after* Thursday’s game, we’re left guessing until Wednesday’s official injury designations drop. Did he tweak it in the walkthrough? Was it just some nagging discomfort? We just don’t know, and that unknown is brutal right before a big game.
On the brighter side, center Juice Scruggs is estimated to have practiced in a limited capacity both days this week with his knee injury. That’s a good sign that coaches are hopeful he’ll be able to suit up Thursday. And then there’s defensive back Christian Izien, who got a full practice in, a great indicator for his return from a groin injury. Campbell actually said they “were close but wanted to give him a few more days” last week, so a debut this week could definitely be on the cards for Izien.
With this Thursday night clash against the Bills arriving so fast, the Lions really need Wednesday’s injury report to bring some clarity, especially on Reed. Every player counts in a Week 2 matchup, and these early season tests are huge for setting the tone. What will that report reveal? We’ll find out soon enough!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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