ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions are getting five key pieces back for their showdown against the Buffalo Bills in Week 15 action.
Dan Campbell expressed optimism about left tackle Taylor Decker (knee), and defensive linemen Alim McNeill (concussion), DJ Reader (shoulder), Levi Onwuzurike (hamstring) and Josh Paschal (knee) playing this weekend.
Decker has missed the last two games, with Dan Skipper starting at left tackle. McNeill exited last week’s win over the Green Bay Packers and did not finish the game. Reader, Onwuzurike and Paschal missed that contest against the Packers.
Those five players were all spotted at Friday’s practice. And all of them are officially off the injury report for Sunday’s game against the Bills.
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“Looks like Paschal has gotten through the week pretty good thus far,” the Lions head coach said. “Reader, as well. Levi, as well. Decker, as well. Mac cleared protocol, so I think we’re trending the right way with all those guys.
“Today will certainly be the icing on the cake with all those guys, but they all look pretty good right now. So, it’s good. It’s been a good week for us, just to get back, really having what felt like a little bit of a mini-bye. You know, catch your breath for a minute. We were able to get back and do some of the things we were doing before we got into the stretch we were in.”
But the head coach didn’t expect to have linebacker Trevor Nowaske, and that turned out to be the case.
The former Saginaw Valley State star landed on the injury report with a concussion this week, and Campbell said there wasn’t enough time to get him back. He was the lone player to miss Thursday and Friday’s practices, and has been officially ruled out.
Nowaske has flashed in the SAM linebacker role since rejoining the Lions earlier this season. And with the Lions missing four of their top five linebackers from the start of the season, he was second in that room in snaps last week.
It’s tough to predict who will fill in the hole at SAM, with Jamal Adams and Ben Niemann likely up next.
“I don’t see Nowaske playing this week,” Campbell said. “That crept up on us. That was something that he just — he didn’t feel good. He’s in protocol, and he’ll be good.”
