What Dan Campbell Said About Barnes, LaPorta, McNeill Injuries

Lions had rough day on injury front Sunday against Cardinals.

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87). / Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images

The Detroit Lions were severely bitten by the injury bug in their showdown with the Arizona Cardinals Sunday. 

Derrick Barnes and Sam LaPorta were each carted off to the locker room in the first half. First, it was Barnes, who exited with a knee injury and did not play a single snap in the second half.

LaPorta followed Barnes, leaving the field via the help of a cart in the waning moments of the opening half of play.

The Pro Bowl tight end appeared to get rolled up on while blocking on a "hook-and-ladder" trick play that led to a touchdown for Jahmyr Gibbs. On the play, LaPorta was knocked down by Cardinals safety Budda Baker, who made a diving attempt to tackle Gibbs near the goal line.

He did re-enter the game in the second half, and was back on the field for the Lions' first possession of the third quarter. However, after running across the formation and setting a block on the second play, he limped off to the sideline and proceeded to have an ice pack placed around his right ankle on the bench.

LaPorta suffered a low-ankle sprain, per ESPN.

Little hook n ladder shenanigans for the score 😈#DETvsAZ | 📺 FOX pic.twitter.com/EBUcoJeBn5

— Detroit Lions (@Lions) September 22, 2024

Campbell had no real injury updates on either Barnes or Alim McNeill after the game. McNeill left the game in the first half with a shoulder injury, and was unable to return.

"I can't say they're not going to be long-term, but I don't feel like it's something we're worried about season-ending," Campbell noted in the postgame about Barnes and McNeill.

Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (leg) and cornerback Terrion Arnold (knee) also exited the Week 3 contest in the first half. Onwuzurike and Arnold did return to action.

Meanwhile, defensive back Brian Branch departed in the fourth quarter (neck), after colliding head-to-head with Cardinals tight end Trey McBride. Per the team, Branch is in concussion protocol.

The Lions have one more game, a Monday night showdown with Seattle in Week 4, before their bye week. With the vast array of injuries suffered Sunday, the bye could be coming at an ideal time.

"We'll know a lot more tomorrow on that, but it looks like, yeah, it could be a perfect time," Campbell said. "And then, I love the fact that we're going into a Monday game (against Seattle) and then the bye. We get an extra day of recovery here before we have to play again. So, it could be some of those that's going to help our guys out that got a little banged up today, between Branch and we'll see on 'Mac' (McNeill), we'll see on Barnes. We had some other guys that got some nicks and bruises, so hopefully that'll help us heal up."