The Detroit Lions shot themselves in the foot too many times during their Thanksgiving Day loss at home to the Green Bay Packers. Head coach Dan Campbell's aggressiveness on fourth down didn't pay off. And when Matt LaFleur did the same, his players executed much more effectively.
Detroit, by Campbell's own admission, is now in a bit of a hole. And there was a far more concerning issue during the game than one poor result.
The Lions were dealt a blow early when prolific wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown left the game with an ankle injury. He was initially listed as questionable to return before being ruled out quickly upon further examination in the locker room. Anyone would miss a player of his caliber, and despite the best efforts of Jameson Williams, it was not enough for the result to go in Detroit's favor.
Amon-Ra St. Brown looks set to miss some crucial games in Lions playoff quest
Fans were rightfully concerned about St. Brown's status moving forward. He's a focal point in everything they do offensively, and the Lions' playoff fortunes are teetering on the brink. They were eagerly awaiting any updates from Campbell after the game. By the sounds of things, it could have been a lot worse.
Campbell acknowledged that he wouldn't know for sure until more tests on Friday, but it doesn't seem to be a long-term issue. The coach is expecting the wideout to miss one or two weeks "if they're lucky", and things should become clearer in the coming days.
This was somewhat encouraging. Campbell is relying a bit on good fortune regarding his projection, so it remains an anxious wait for fans until the prognosis is more official. Still, losing St. Brown for any length of time at the business end of the season could potentially bring severe ramifications.
The Lions welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Ford Field next Thursday for what could be a make-or-break showdown for both. After that, they travel to the Los Angeles Rams — the NFC's No. 1 seed. Losing both of these contests would make things extremely difficult, and there's a legitimate possibility Detroit won't have its most dependable pass-catcher available.
Campbell needs to think on his feet. St. Brown's presence will be sorely missed, so adapting the scheme and finding others capable of moving from the fringes into prominent positions is essential. Relying on Williams more heavily is another way to go, but there's just no telling how quarterback Jared Goff will fare without his go-to weapon.
Hopefully, there will be some encouraging developments soon. Otherwise, the Lions have a massive problem on their hands.