The Detroit Lions may have dropped a crucial 31-24 Thanksgiving game to the Green Bay Packers, but there’s finally some positive news coming out of Detroit as the NFC playoff race tightens.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Injury Update Offers Major Relief
Star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown exited the Week 13 matchup with an ankle injury, a setback that significantly impacted the Lions’ offensive rhythm. Early concerns suggested the injury could be serious, but new reports indicate that St. Brown avoided a major setback.
According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, St. Brown is believed to have suffered a low ankle sprain, a far more manageable injury than originally feared. The young receiver is still being evaluated, but signs point toward a quicker-than-expected return, giving Detroit renewed hope heading into the final stretch of the season.
Detroit’s Schedule Could Minimize St. Brown’s Absence
Pelissero also highlighted that the Lions play only once over the next 16 days, facing the Dallas Cowboys on December 4 before getting a long rest period ahead of their Week 15 showdown with the Los Angeles Rams.
Because of this favorable schedule gap, St. Brown may miss only one game, and the Lions do not expect to place him on injured reserve. He will likely be week-to-week as Coach Dan Campbell prepares the team for a critical postseason push.
Lions’ Playoff Outlook After Week 13 Loss
With the loss to Green Bay, Detroit fell to 7–5, placing them third in the NFC North behind the Chicago Bears (8–3) and the Packers (8–3–1). The Lions still have five games left to climb back into the division race, while the Bears have six remaining.
In the NFC standings, the Lions currently sit just outside the wild card picture, behind the Seattle Seahawks (8–3), Packers, and San Francisco 49ers (8–4) — the teams holding the conference’s three wild card spots.
Despite the setback, the optimistic injury update on St. Brown could be exactly what Detroit needs as they fight to secure their first postseason berth in consecutive years.
