The Detroit Lions went into Week 18 with very little shot of changing their playoff seed, but Dan Campbell and Co. elected to trot the starters out for the contest anyway and give themselves a shot. Detroit ultimately got the win it needed to have a chance at moving up but came away with a pair of injuries that could prove costly come playoff time.
Dan Campbell Faces Criticism After Injuries
The Lions entered the contest likely to finish as the NFC’s No. 3 seed, needing a win against the Minnesota Vikings and losses from both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles to have a shot at jumping up to second in the conference.
Still, Campbell elected to go for it and did not rest players for the contest to keep Detroit’s chances at the No. 2 seed alive.
The strategy loomed large after rookie tight end Sam LaPorta exited with a knee injury late in the second quarter of the Lions’ 30-20 win over the Vikings. LaPorta went down in visible pain after the play grabbing his left knee, limped to the sideline, and was later carted to the locker room before ultimately being ruled out for the remainder of the game.
Kalif Raymond later exited with a knee injury of his own and did not return to the game.
The two important players’ injuries sparked controversy across social media with some users upset that Campbell had not played fewer starters in a contest unlikely to mean much in the playoff picture.
You might say it was stupid for Dan Campbell to play his starters this week after Sam LaPorta’s injury and you’d be right.
— Jeff Bell (@4WhomJBellTolls) January 7, 2024
“You don’t want guys to get hurt,” Campbell told reporters after the game. “I said a prayer last night, I do it every time before these games for our guys. You don’t want anybody getting hurt, especially in a game like this, but we have two tight ends, and we used Skip (Dan Skipper). We tried to limit what we could, and that happened to be a play it happened.
“[Raymond] was kind of the same thing. Try to take care of Saint [Amon Ra St. Brown] there towards the end, you get ‘Lif in the game there a little more, and then ‘Lif gets hurt. It’s a tough deal.”
LaPorta has emerged as a crucial contributor in Detroit’s resurgent 2023 season. He is up to 86 catches for 889 yards and 10 touchdowns through Sunday’s action as one of the Lions’ top options in the passing game.
Raymond has been a dependable option in the passing game as well with 35 catches for 489 yards and one score.
“The best way I can put it is, it’s not as bad as it looked, but it’s not good news,” Campbell said of LaPorta’s injury. “We’ll know more tomorrow, but I know it looked awful. It’s not as bad as that, but it doesn’t mean it looks good in the immediate here to have him for a game.”
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Other users credited Campbell for his unique mindset and for keeping the players locked in mentally by still playing to win on Sunday. It’s a mentality that has been at the core of Detroit’s emergence this season under Campbell.
If Dan Campbell weren't Dan Campbell, the Lions wouldn't be the Lions. I'm hoping LaPorta is OK for the playoffs, but I want Dan Campbell to keep being Dan Campbell.
— Michael Riley (@MRileyGolf) January 7, 2024
Campbell echoed similar sentiments after the game and did not express regret for playing LaPorta in the game.
“I know this — you’re really either all-in or all-out,” Campbell said. “We were going, and we needed to do that. We already have a number of guys that are on the inactive who are injured. You can only bring so many guys and play ’em. I would say all in all, we got out of it pretty good.”
If LaPorta is sidelined for any significant time with the injury, Detroit could look to add another tight end option in free agency.
One name floated as an option by NFL insider Tom Pelissero is veteran Zach Ertz. Detroit tight ends coach Steve Heiden worked with Ertz last season when the pair were with the Arizona Cardinals. Ertz had 27 catches for 187 yards and one touchdown in seven appearances on the season.
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