DETROIT — Things have gone from bad to worse regarding the health of the [Detroit Lions](https://detroitnews.sports.gracenote.com/football/nfl/team/1)‘ offense.
With 6:19 left in the first quarter of Thursday’s game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field, All-Pro receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown exited the game with an ankle injury and was later downgraded to out.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said after the game that he doesn’t feel like St. Brown will be out long-term, but he’s expecting to be without the reliable target for at least a game or two.
“I’ll know more tomorrow. I don’t feel like this is long, long-term, so that’s the good news,” Campbell said. “But that doesn’t mean (the injury) won’t be here for — could be a week or two, maybe, if we’re lucky.”
St. Brown was rolled up on by a teammate while engaged as a blocker with a Packers defender during a run by Jahmyr Gibbs. He was briefly attended to by the training staff, walked off under his own power with a noticeable limp, and went straight to the locker room for further examination.
In St. Brown’s absence, receiver Jameson Williams recorded a career-high in both catches (seven) and receiving yards (144) with one touchdown. Tom Kennedy, who was called up from the practice squad, had four catches for 36 yards and Isaac TeSlaa added two catches for 35 yards and a touchdown.
“I kind of knew it would be Jamo’s game there, really before the game, and then that happens, and you really know it,” Goff said. “TeSlaa, I thought, stepped up and did a good job. I thought TK — he’s gonna be an unsung hero there, being able to step in and know all the stuff. Really impressive, but yeah, it’s still a moral victory that we were able to get Jamo going like that.”
The Lions were already playing without three offensive starters: left guard Christian Mahogany (leg), center Graham Glasgow (knee) and tight end Sam LaPorta (back). The dual absence of St. Brown and LaPorta will be especially noticeable on key third- and fourth-down situations.
“When you lose a guy like Saint, that’s tough. There’s so many things that he brings to our offense. Everybody knows the production and the versatility he has, also the dirty work he does in the run game, all the little things, man,” Campbell said.
“… So there’s a million jobs he does, and he does them at a high level. … It hurts when you lose him. Him and LaPorta were kind of those guys for us, so when you lose those guys and (injured receiver Kalif Raymond’s) the next one, it becomes difficult.”
St. Brown was injured on the Lions’ second possession after they went three-and-out on the opening series. The Lions picked up a first down, but only went backward following St. Brown’s injury. Following Detroit’s second possession, the Lions were 0-for-2 on third down and had just 10 net yards.
The Lions found some momentum to close the first half, scoring a pair of touchdowns to make it a 17-14 game.