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Alim McNeill injury update: Lions DT tore ACL in knee; Carlton Davis has fractured jaw
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- Alim McNeill injury update: Lions DT tore ACL in knee; Carlton Davis has fractured jaw
Alim McNeill 's season is over, but Carlton Davis ' might not be.
McNeill, the Detroit Lions ' best defensive tackle, tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills , the Free Press confirmed Monday, sealing the Lions' initial fears.
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McNeill was injured midway through the third quarter when his right knee buckled as he landed while rushing Bills quarterback Josh Allen , when the Lions forced Buffalo's only punt of the game.
Lions coach Dan Campbell indicated Sunday that McNeill would undergo testing for a torn ACL on Monday . He said both McNeill and Davis could be lost for the season.
Davis is set to undergo surgery for fractured jaw he suffered Sunday, ESPN reported , and is out indefinitely. NFL Network said there's a possibility Davis could return if the Lions advance to the NFC Championship game on Jan. 26.
MORE BAD NEWS: Lions RB David Montgomery out with knee injury
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"I don't feel good about either one of those guys," Campbell said Sunday.
Asked if that meant he didn't feel good about either returning for the season, Campbell said, "Normally if I'm like saying, 'I don't feel good,' that means not good for the rest of the year, so don't feel good about it."
Alim McNeill of the Detroit Lions is attended to after being injured in the third quarter against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024 in Detroit.
The Lions, 12-2 and tied for the best record in the NFC , have dealt with an onslaught of injuries on defense this season and soon will have nearly a full starting lineup's worth defenders on injured reserve .
Starters Aidan Hutchinson , Marcus Davenport , Alex Anzalone and Malcolm Rodriguez are currently on IR, as are backups Kyle Peko , John Cominsky , Malcolm Rodriguez, Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Ifeatu Melifonwu and Ennis Rakestraw .
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Anzalone is due back after Christmas or for the Lions' first playoff game, and the team has left open the possibility that Hutchinson can return for the Super Bowl .
THE FULL LIST: Here are all the Detroit Lions players on injured reserve
The Lions also lost cornerback Khalil Dorsey , one of their top special teams players, to a broken ankle Sunday .
McNeill is second on the Lions with 3½ sacks, behind only Hutchinson's 7½ sacks, and Davis is the team's No. 1 cornerback. Davis, an offseason trade acquisition who is in the final year of his contract, has two interceptions this season and often has been tasked with covering the opposing team's No. 1 receiver.
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Dave Birkett is the author of the new book, " Detroit Lions : An Illustrated Timeline." Order your copy here. Contact him at dbirkett@freepress.com . Follow him on Bluesky, X and Instagram at @davebirkett .
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Alim McNeill injury: Lions DL tore ACL; Carlton Davis fractured jaw
