After missing Week 11 with a shoulder injury, the Detroit Lions will have Sam LaPorta back in the starting lineup in Week 12 against the Indianapolis Colts, per NFL insider Tom Pelissero.
With a slow start to the 2024 season, LaPorta has picked it up slightly in recent weeks. He has three touchdowns in his last five games.
Lions will need to make adjustments due to injuries
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (87) celebrates a touchdown against Tennessee Titans during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Detroit placed LB Alex Anzalone to injured reserve and brought up LB David Long Jr. from the practice squad. Cornerback Amik Robertson spoke about how difficult it will be for the Lions to lose such a key piece of their defense.
“It’s always hard losing a player like that, man,” Robertson said. “It’s always hard. Of course, we probably don’t have another Anz, but we’ve got younger guys that could step up and finish on the road…because like I said, if we’ve got guys out there playing for one another, I think we’ll be fine.”
As head coach Dan Campbell highlighted, Detroit will give Malcolm Rodriguez a big increase in playing time in Anzalone’s absence.
“I know this — Jack and Rodrigo (Malcolm Rodriguez) are going to play a lot for us,” Dan Campbell said. “And then it’s a matter of, is it by committee? If you’re using three linebackers you know, are we using a (defensive back)? It’s just hard to say right now. (Jack Campbell) is a smart football player and he studies it, he works at it. He was that way when he walked in, though. He’s an instinctive player that really understands ball. Jack has been right in (Alex’s) hip pocket he watches, learns, listens.”
The Lions are so dominant that some of their players have to defend winning by such large margins. Cornerback Carlton Davis took the dissenters to task.
“If people have a problem with what we’re doing or complaining about it then they can just come out here and play better football,” Davis said.
In the latest NFL Power Rankings from ClutchPoints’ Mike Johrendt, the Lions took over the No. 1 spot.
“We finally have a new team at the top of this list, as the Detroit Lions have ascended into the top spot of our Week 12 NFL Power Rankings. A dominant win over the Jacksonville Jaguars helped propel the Lions to this spot, as their win left zero doubt about who is the best team in the NFC.
“Jared Goff threw for over 400 yards and four touchdowns, David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs combined for three TDs, and the defense held the hapless Jaguars to six measly points in their 52-6 thrashing.”
The Lions travel to Indianapolis to play the Colts on Sunday, November 24 at 1:00 p.m. EST.
