The Detroit Lions are heading into their Week 2 “Thursday Night Football” battle against the Buffalo Bills with some serious gut punches to their offensive line. We just got the official injury designations, and two starting offensive linemen have been officially ruled OUT for the game. This isn’t just a minor tweak; this is a full-blown crisis up front for the Lions against a tough Bills defense.
Mahogany and Miller’s Absence Blows Up the Trenches
This is rough, y’all. Left guard Christian Mahogany, who went down just eleven plays into Week 1 with a hip injury, hasn’t recovered in time and is out. Then there’s right tackle Blake Miller, who somehow never missed a game in three years at Clemson, but now has a knee injury that flared up after his debut against the Saints. This will be only his second NFL game missed. That’s two critical starters gone.
So, who’s stepping up? The Lions are expecting veteran Larry Borom to slide in at right tackle. He’s got experience, starting eleven games last year, all at right tackle, so that’s something. At left guard, Ben Bartch is expected to get the start, and honestly, he was already battling for that spot in Week 1. Still, losing two starting bookends on the same night is a huge ask. To shore things up, Detroit’s probably going to elevate an offensive lineman from the practice squad, like Devin Cochran, Elijah Klein, or Seth McLaughlin, or sign someone new to get their OL group to eight. That extra body bumps their game-day roster from 46 to 47 players, which tells you how much they need the depth.
Other Lions and Bills Injuries: Mixed Bag
It’s not all doom and gloom on the injury front for the Lions, thankfully. Cornerback D.J. Reed popped up on Tuesday’s injury report with a foot issue after being clear Monday. He was limited in practice both Tuesday and Wednesday, which is a decent sign, but his status is still a game-time decision. That’s a huge potential blow if he can’t go.
However, there’s good news for center Juice Scruggs, who was limited this week with a knee issue but is expected to start against the Bills. And Christian Izien, who was cautiously held out in Week 1 with a groin injury, is now expected to start at nickel in Week 2, which means Roger McCreary shifts back to a reserve role. That’s a win for the secondary.
Over on the Bills’ side, they’ve got their own concerns. Running back Ty Johnson (hamstring), defensive lineman T.J. Sanders (knee/illness), and safety Cole Bishop (knee/groin) are all listed as questionable. Those are some key defensive pieces, so their availability could seriously impact the game.
This Week 2 Thursday Night Football game just got a whole lot more interesting, especially for the Lions. Can their depth guys hold the line against the Bills, or will this double gut punch up front be too much to overcome? Tune in and find out, it’s gonna be a battle!
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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