Detroit’s offense erupted for 52 points in a dominant win over Jacksonville last week, setting a franchise record with 645 total yards and 38 first downs. They scored a touchdown on their first seven possessions and were impressive on both sides of the ball. Even more remarkable was that they did all this without Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta, who missed the game due to a shoulder injury.
It looks like LaPorta could make his return this week as the Lions head to Indianapolis to face the Colts.
“I think it’s trending the right way,” said Lions head coach Dan Campbell when asked about the second-year tight end’s status on Wednesday.
LaPorta sustained the injury during the first half of the Houston game in Week 10 and didn’t practice last week. While Campbell stated that LaPorta is still questionable, the fact that he participated in Wednesday’s walkthrough is a positive sign for his return.
This season, LaPorta has caught 25 passes for 366 yards and three touchdowns. His 14.6-yard average per catch leads all tight ends, and his 17 first-down grabs rank fourth among tight ends.
With LaPorta sidelined last week, Brock Wright and Shane Zylstra stepped up, contributing both in the pass and run game.
“Brock (Wright) really carried the load for us,” Campbell said. “He played a lot of reps, did a lot of different jobs run game, protection, and even running routes that don’t get noticed, like clear-outs and downfield blocking. He really bailed us out. And Zylstra, too he’s been a steady contributor for us over the past few weeks and just goes about his business quietly but effectively. It’s been a strong group, and tight ends coach Steve Heiden deserves credit for that.”
Last week demonstrated the Lions’ tight end depth, with multiple playmakers stepping up, including LaPorta.
MARTIN ACTIVATED
The Lions activated defensive lineman Brodric Martin from Reserve/Injured; Designated for Return on Wednesday, boosting the depth of their defensive line.
“We’ll see,” said Lions run game coordinator and defensive line coach Terrell Williams when asked about Martin’s impact for the stretch run. “He’s been practicing the last couple weeks and has done a good job. I think he was scout team player of the week last week.”
Martin has been sidelined all season due to a knee injury he suffered in Detroit’s final preseason game. After a quiet rookie year following his draft from Western Kentucky, Martin spent the offseason focusing on reshaping his body and getting into top physical condition.
Williams emphasized that Martin will need to continue earning his role in the rotation through hard work and strong performance in practice before he can see action on game days.
DYNAMIC TRIO
Wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and running backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs have the opportunity to make NFL history on Sunday.
St. Brown (9 scrimmage touchdowns in 2024, 10 in 2023), Gibbs (9 in 2024, 11 in 2023), and Montgomery (10 in 2024, 13 in 2023) could become just the second trio of teammates to each record 10 or more scrimmage touchdowns in back-to-back seasons.
If St. Brown and Gibbs find the end zone in Indianapolis, they’ll join Minnesota’s legendary trio Pro Football Hall of Fame wide receivers Cris Carter and Randy Moss, and running back Leroy Hoard (1998-99)—in achieving this rare feat.
EXTRA POINTS
- Detroit has extended its streak to 24 consecutive games with a rushing touchdown, setting an NFL record for the longest such streak in history.
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In roster moves, the team signed safety Kaevon Merriweather to the practice squad and released safety Erick Hallett.
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