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Lions injury update: Carlton Davis and Alim McNeill might not play again this season
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- Lions injury update: Carlton Davis and Alim McNeill might not play again this season
The Detroit Lions had a relatively clean bill of health coming into the showdown with the Buffalo Bills , especially considering what they've been dealing with lately. Oh, how quickly things can change.
The Lions lost Carlton Davis III, Alim McNeill and Khalil Dorsey to injuries during the game and all of them appear to be very serious.
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Dorsey went to the hospital after being carted off with an ankle injury, and Lions head coach Dan Campbell said after the game that he doesn't feel good about McNeill or Davis returning this season.
Before the game, the Lions had no new players added on the inactive list and got back left tackle Taylor Decker and defensive linemen DJ Reader , Levi Onwuzurike , Josh Paschal and McNeill after they either missed the Packers game or left early with injuries.
Here is a recap of all the injuries the Lions suffered in the 48-42 loss to the Bills .
ANALYSIS: Lions in trouble if they don't get healthy and fix weaknesses that Josh Allen exposed
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Detroit Lions injury updates vs. Bills
Dan Campbell doesn't feel good about Alim McNeill , Carlton Davis III returning this year
Dan Campbell said it's not looking good for Carlton Davis III or Alim McNeill, but the team would know more tomorrow. Both defenders left the game early against the Bills: Davis with a jaw injury and McNeill with a knee.
"I don't feel good about either one of those guys," Campbell said .
"Normally if I'm saying I don't feel good, that means not good for the rest of the year. So don't feel good about it."
Davis got hurt in the second quarter when he got awkwardly wrapped up while making a tackle. He was ruled out for the game. McNeill, meanwhile, got hurt while chasing down Josh Allen when he jumped up in the air to try and interfere with a pass and came down weirdly on his knee.
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McNeill was instantly in discomfort and you could tell there was a chance it was serious with how frustrated he was.
Alim McNeill ruled out with knee injury
For the second game in a row, Alim McNeill has exited the Detroit Lions ' game.
McNeill appeared to get hurt on the Bills' third-and-long play after helping bring some pressure on Bills quarterback Josh Allen. McNeill looked to be in pain instantly and limped to the sideline with the help of trainers. The dominant defensive tackle looked extremely frustrated and nearly slammed his helmet.
McNeill sat on the bench as trainers looked at his right leg.
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McNeill had to leave the game last week against the Green Bay Packers with a head injury, but was able to recover in time to be back against the Bills with the help of a little extra rest.
A short time later, McNeill was ruled out for the game with a knee injury.
MITCH ALBOM: Lions got exposed by Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills
Report: Khalil Dorsey taken to hospital with serious ankle injury
It's not surprising based on the instant reaction to Dorsey's injury, but CBS' Tracy Wolfson reported on Sunday's broadcast that the cornerback was quickly taken to a local hospital.
Dorsey is the second player on the Lions' defense to suffer a serious-leg injury and to be taken to the hospital after Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg in a game earlier this year against the Dallas Cowboys .
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Campbell ruled Dorsey out for the season.
Carlton Davis III ruled out with jaw injury
After leaving the game in the second quarter, Carlton Davis III has been ruled out with a jaw injury. Davis laid on the ground for a while before being helped off the field by trainers. The team pretty quickly announced that Davis was questionable with a jaw injury and was in concussion protocol.
In the third quarter, Davis was officially ruled out for the game, making matters worse for a secondary that suddenly looks beat up after Khalil Dorsey was carted off the field with a serious-looking leg injury.
DB Khalil Dorsey carted off after gruesome leg injury; Lions now down two CBs
The Detroit Lions lost cornerback Khalil Dorsey to an injury late in the second quarter Sunday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in the biggest game in Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season.
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Dorsey was on the field on third-and-goal and was in coverage near the line of scrimmage when he collided with linebacker Ezekiel Turner in coverage and instantly collapsed to the ground. The play continued, eventually ending in an incompletion, with Dorsey still on the ground waving toward the sidelines for immediate help.
Dorsey and the trainers stayed on the field, eventually waiting for the injury cart to come out to the 10-yard line. The whole Lions team and coaching staff came out onto the field as Dorsey was loaded onto the cart and taken into the field. He received a standing ovation as he left the field from Lions fans.
Dorsey was on the field to help fill in for cornerback Carlton Davis III, who left earlier in the second quarter with a head injury. Davis stayed down after helping tackle James Cook , and went off the field into the locker room. It was later announced Davis entered concussion protocol and suffered a jaw injury.
Dorsey was immediately ruled out with an ankle injury, the team announced before halftime.
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RB David Montgomery limps off field after big fourth-down conversion
Although he didn't get the ball, David Montgomery exited the game after the Lions' huge fourth-down conversion in the second quarter. The Lions had a chunk play on a long pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown , but Montgomery appeared to tweak something and limped to the sideline and was replaced by Jahmyr Gibbs . Montgomery was then working with trainers on the sideline, trying to see if he could loosen it up.
Montgomery eventually returned and split time with Gibbs, as usual.
CB Carlton Davis III questionable with jaw/concussion after exiting game
In Year 1 with the Lions, Davis has helped sure up a Lions' secondary that was a disaster last year. But it hasn't been easy for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback. Davis has battled through a handful of bumps and bruises this year – most recently a thumb injury – and was seen working with trainers during the Bills' first offensive drive of the game.
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Davis was back on the field for the second defensive drive of the game, signaling it's nothing serious.
However, in the second quarter, Davis was in on a tackle on a Bills' run play and immediately seemed to be in pain. After being down for a little while, Davis walked to the sideline with trainers and was taken into the blue tent for further observation.
In the second quarter, the Lions announced on social media Davis is questionable to return with a jaw injury and is being evaluated for a concussion.
Pregame: Lions about as healthy as they've been in weeks
In a lot of ways, the Lions have been holding things together with duct tape and free agents off the street. Many of those mid-season additions will still see the field this week, especially in the depleted linebacker core, but the Lions are getting a lot of guys back Sunday, just in time for a battle with Josh Allen and the Bills' high-powered offense.
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Reader, Onwuzurike, Paschal and McNeill are all set to be back in the lineup, along with Decker at left tackle. Of course, the NFL is a battle of attrition, and a few key injuries could totally set the Lions back once again.
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Alim McNeill warms up before the game against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Dec. 15, 2024.
Lions already on injured reserve
As much winning as the Lions have done this year, injuries have been as much of a story as anything. Despite losing nearly every starting member of their defensive line at the start of the season, the Lions have been finding ways to win with exotic defensive play-calling and an aggressive approach on offense.
Lions players placed on injured reserve include: Edge Aidan Hutchinson (leg), edge Marcus Davenport (triceps), linebacker Derrick Barnes (knee), linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck), linebacker Alex Anzalone (forearm), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee), safety Ifeatu Melifonwu , defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo , cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot), defensive lineman John Cominsky (knee), defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo (knee) and defensive tackle Kyle Peko (pectoral).
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The Lions hope to get a few of the contributors back from IR before the playoffs such as Anzalone, who broke his arm a month ago . Detroit is holding out hope that Hutchinson, who broke his leg to stop a torrid start to the season, could return late in the playoffs but a potential return remains murky.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions injury update: Carlton Davis, Alim McNeill might be out for 2024
