INDIANAPOLIS — There’s been a bit of a trend developing for the Lions this season. First, they win a game like Sunday’s 24-6 over the Colts — their ninth in a row. Fans are thrilled, enjoying yet another victory amid a season unseen in generations. Back in the locker room, the team celebrates a job well done. Then, everyone waits for injury updates.
It’s the only thing that can put a damper on a 10-1 start. And yet, the Lions continue to suit ’em up and shut ’em down.
“Everybody’s got them, and the league doesn’t care,” coach Dan Campbell said of injuries. “They make the schedule and we play this and we roll, you know?”
The Lions (10-1) are the cream of the crop in the NFL most weeks — even when they don’t look it. Their bad games, like a 26-23 win over Texans as time expired earlier this month, can still result in victories. Their off games, much like Sunday’s win over the Colts, are still good enough for an 18-point victory when the clock hits zero.
They secured their 10th win of the season on Sunday, needing only 11 games to get there. The nine-game winning streak is the second-longest in franchise history. They’ve won 10 games in consecutive seasons for the first time and are 10-1 for the first time since 1934.
There’s not much that can slow their roll on the field these days — except, well, when they roll something on the field.
David Montgomery efforts his way into the end zone 💪#DETvsIND | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/WKq6Lz10SY
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 24, 2024
It can make for an odd experience when watching. Take Week 3, for example. It was the game that started this run. Coming off a loss to the Buccaneers at home and a 1-1 start, the Lions made an effort to play a physical brand of football against the Arizona Cardinals. It led to a 20-13 win over the Cardinals…and season-ending injuries to Marcus Davenport and, most likely, linebacker Derrick Barnes.
A few weeks later, the Lions whupped on the Dallas Cowboys 47-9, handing Jerry Jones his worst loss as Cowboys owner. Beating up on America’s Team didn’t feel as sweet as it could’ve for players and fans alike after star pass-rusher Aidan Hutchinson fractured his tibia and fibula in the third quarter of the game.
The Jaguars suffered their worst loss in franchise history a week ago at Ford Field, losing to the Lions 52-6. But the Lions took an L that day, too, losing team captain and veteran linebacker Alex Anzalone for 6-8 weeks with a broken forearm.
And even Sunday’s win over the Colts felt like one of those games where the visitor’s sideline just wanted to sim to the end. Because every time you looked up, someone new was either on the ground or in the blue medical tent.
Coach Dan Campbell felt good about most of the injuries from Sunday’s game but Kalif Raymond’s could be more serious than the others. (Andy Lyons / Getty Images)
Kalif Raymond injured his foot on a punt return and was carted off the field. He briefly walked back to the sideline, only to be carted off again. Amon-Ra St. Brown returned punts in his absence. In the locker room after the game, Raymond was spotted in a walking boot and crutches. Campbell said his injury could be more serious than others.
Left tackle Taylor Decker, who’s already missed a game this year with an ankle injury, left the game with ankle and knee injuries. He spent a good chunk of time in the medical tent but was able to return to action before the Lions took him out again.
With the Lions already thin at cornerback with Terrion Arnold out Sunday with a groin injury and fellow rookie Ennis Rakestraw Jr. placed on IR with a hamstring injury, the last thing the Lions wanted was to see veteran Carlton Davis leave the game. But he did with a non-contact knee injury. Davis was able to hop on the exercise bike to loosen his knee up but did not return to the game. He seemed to be in good spirits in the locker room, but said he wants to see how he’s feeling tomorrow.
And finally, running back David Montgomery suffered a shoulder injury on a hard run in the third quarter. Injuries were piling up so fast, Montgomery joined Decker in the tent to get looked at, before walking into the locker room with his shoulder pads off. He would return to the sideline with his pads back on but did not check back in the game. He told reporters after the game that he could’ve returned, but Campbell told him, “We’ve got bigger fish to fry.”
They sure do. But the lingering injuries make you pause a bit when thinking down the road.
“Yeah, I mean, we’ll see,” Campbell said of his four injured players. “So much of this — I’m not going to know, really, you know the four, obviously Kalif and David Montgomery. Deck was able to come back out, but then we pulled him again late — Carlton So, I don’t know. I feel okay about three of those guys. Kalif can be a little bit, a little bit more serious, but even with that, it doesn’t mean any of those guys will be ready for Thursday. So, I just don’t know.”
The Lions are at a point where one of their biggest threats — if not, the biggest — is the injury bug. They have everything you need to win a Super Bowl when healthy. A good coaching staff, a talented roster, a hungry mindset after getting so close and falling short last season. When you see key starters go down in games that are all but finished, you can’t help but worry about the long-term prognosis for January and perhaps even February.
Then you see the way they respond and realize there’s something different about this group.
At one point on Sunday, the defense was playing without Hutchinson, Barnes, Davenport, Anzalone, Arnold and Davis. That’s six of their 11 starters when the year began. They held the Colts to six points and 237 total yards. It wasn’t always pretty — the Colts missed some opportunities that were there and had big plays called back after penalties — but the defense got it done without some of its best players. Malcolm Rodriguez and Jack Campbell led the team in tackles with eight each. Alim McNeill and Za’Darius Smith totaled five pressures apiece, per TruMedia. The run defense held Jonathan Taylor to 35 yards on 11 attempts. It was a collective effort.
At the time of this article, the Lions rank second in scoring defense (16.6 points per game). They have not surrendered a touchdown in 10 straight quarters — something this franchise hasn’t done in 41 years. They have not surrendered a second-half point in three straight games for the first time in 44 years. They’re playing at a high level no matter who’s the game.
#Lions have not allowed a TD in consecutive games for the first time since 1999.#OnePride pic.twitter.com/XLR3VZH7YP
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 24, 2024
“A lot of guys are prepared, man, and it’s a next-man-up mentality,” DJ Reader said after the game. “We got a lot of guys that are prepared to go out there and play good ball, you know? It’s fortunate to be in that situation as a defense. You never want to lose your brothers, but it’s a lot of guys hungry that’s behind everybody. So, we always know it’s next man up and we treat it as such on defense. I think we got a lot of trust in each other, a lot of reps put in.”
It’s a luxury to score 24 points in the NFL and have it feel like you didn’t bring your best stuff. But the offense didn’t turn the ball over, scored when it needed to, and leaned on Jahmyr Gibbs when Montgomery went down. He totaled 99 yards on 24 touches, a bit less than his typical efficiency, but ran hard and scored two of Detroit’s three touchdowns. St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Tim Patrick each topped 50 yards Sunday, with QB Jared Goff spreading the wealth. The offense scored points early and never looked back, which was more than enough for the defense.
Again, they keep finding ways to get it done.
“You never take for granted winning,” Decker said. “At times, maybe we’re not playing perfectly on offense, and we’ve had some really, really good games so that’s kind of becoming the expectation for us. I’m never going to take for granted winning a football game in this league. They have some talented players and they were doing a lot of things defensively — moving, pressuring. It’s just special. Me personally, I’ve been on — for lack of a better term — bad teams. It just feels good to go out there and know you’re going to get every opponent’s best shot and to be able to still win.”
That’s the reason to feel confident, even as the injury bug hovers. The Lions trust their depth. They get the most out of the guys they bring in. They play for each other, no matter who’s next to them.
And the fact that they can go out week and week out and keep it pushing without complaints or excuses reminds you they’re wired the right way.
(Top photo of Jahmyr Gibbs: Justin Casterline / Getty Images)
