Lions Can Still Achieve Huge Goals Despite Myriad of Injuries

Lions have played through injury after injury in 2024.

Nov 28, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Detroit Lions defensive tackle DJ Reader (98) celebrates with head coach Dan Campbell after sacking Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams (18) in the fourth quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

In the famous words of the late, great former Raiders owner Al Davis: “Just win, baby!” 

The Detroit Lions, off to their best start in franchise history at 11-1, have continued to do just that throughout the 2024 season despite suffering a string of serious injuries along the way. And unfortunately for Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn, the defensive side of the ball has been hit the hardest by the injury bug.

Of all the injuries, losing EDGE rusher Aidan Hutchinson has been the most significant. Hutchinson, the team's leader in sacks (7.5), was off to a Defensive Player of the Year-type of campaign prior to suffering a broken tibia and fibula during the Lions’ 47-9 rout of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 6. The University of Michigan product hasn't played a single snap since, and is a longshot to return this season.

In the time since then, Detroit has also notably dealt with injuries to linebacker Alex Anzalone (the team’s “quarterback” on defense), cornerback Terrion Arnold (the Lions’ 2024 first-round draft pick) and fellow defensive back Carlton Davis (Detroit's No. 1 corner).

And just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for Glenn’s unit, they absolutely did on Thanksgiving against the Chicago Bears. Third-year linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez injured his knee during the fourth quarter of the aforementioned contest, later being diagnosed with a season-ending torn ACL. 

Rodriguez is set to become the next Detroit linebacker to be placed on injured reserve this season. Derrick Barnes, the first Lions LB to be placed on IR in 2024, suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 3. And since, Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck) and Anzalone (arm) have also ended up on IR.

With that said, Detroit holds the unfortunate distinction of being the NFL team with the most players on injured reserve this season. Not including Rodriguez, the Lions have placed a staggering 16 players on IR in 2024. Cleveland possesses the second-most players on IR with 14.

It wasn't just Rodriguez that the Lions lost against the Bears, either. Dan Campbell's team also had to deal with EDGE Josh Paschal and defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike exiting the Week 13 divisional matchup prematurely. Paschal suffered a knee injury early in the game, while Onwuzurike injured his hamstring on one of the final plays of the first half.

It was just another example of Detroit being unable to catch a break on the injury front this season.

Yet, Campbell has continued to refuse to allow all the injuries to put him in a bad state of mind.

“Let me ask you this: Does it really matter? Like, who cares? That’s what I go back to, it doesn’t matter,” the fourth-year head man said after the Lions’ triumph over Chicago. “It is or it isn’t, we get a guy back or we don’t get a guy back. Worrying about it . . . what does it matter?”

Most teams with as many physical ailments as Detroit would have just folded at some point, being unable to keep playing through injury after injury. But, not these Dan Campbell-led Lions. They've instead continued to roll up their sleeves, absorbing blow after blow and seemingly overcoming every adverse circumstance thrown their way.

Undeniably, they've adopted the “the next-man-up” persona of their fearless head coach.

“A lot of guys are prepared, man, and it’s a next-man-up mentality,” defensive lineman DJ Reader told The Athletic after Detroit's Week 12 win against Indianapolis. “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.”

Even with all the injuries on defense, the Lions have continued to play at a high level on that side of the ball. 

Reader and fellow defensive tackle Alim McNeill have formed one of the best interior defensive linemen duos in the NFL. Meanwhile, defensive backs Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph, who have combined for 11 interceptions, have been the league's very best safety tandem. Then there's second-year linebacker Jack Campbell, who leads Detroit in total tackles (90) and has done a solid job assuming Anzalone's quarterbacking responsibilities on defense. 

And on top of all that, EDGE Za'Darius Smith, who came over to the Lions at this year’s trade deadline, has stepped up the past two weeks with solid pass-rushing performances. The former Browns defender secured 1.5 sacks, six quarterback hurries and nine total pressures in Detroit's Thanksgiving win vs. Chicago. Additionally, he earned a 77.5 overall grade from Pro Football Focus for his efforts, the highest mark for a Lions defender in Week 13.

This all has translated to Detroit giving up just 16.9 points per game, the fourth-lowest mark in the league.

“We're playing good defense right now,” Campbell said after the team's win over the Colts. “And look, I would say that we got a bunch of guys that are, they're pretty gritty guys, man. They play hard, they run, they hit. They’re pretty smart guys. They do what we ask them to do, and they go all out doing it. So normally, you're going to have, you’ll always have a chance to play pretty good when you have guys that’ll do that.”

Time and time again this season, Campbell's squad has proven that it's adept at handling adverse situations and still succeeding at a high level. 

And at this juncture, it'd be foolish to believe the Lions will allow their injury problems – as severe as they may be – to get in the way of their ultimate goal: making a Super Bowl run.