GLENDALE, Ariz. — An early-season bye isn’t ideal for anyone. However, after a hard-fought 20-13 victory in Arizona on Sunday, the Detroit Lions are grateful for the extended break before their Monday Night Football game and the Week 5 bye that follows. They’re dealing with some injuries after this matchup.
Head coach Dan Campbell said, “We’ll have a clearer picture tomorrow. It seems like this bye could come at the right time. It should benefit our players. We had a few injuries today with (Brian) Branch, and we’ll check on (Alim McNeill) and (Derrick) Barnes, along with some others who have bumps and bruises. Hopefully, the bye will give us a chance to recover.”
Barnes was carted off with a knee injury in Arizona, which is a significant setback for the linebacker group, already missing its captain. Alex Anzalone (concussion) is expected to return next week, but Barnes’ situation is uncertain.
Similarly, McNeill, who had a standout season last year and is in a contract year, is also dealing with an injury. He played well early in the game but couldn’t get up in the final seconds of the first half due to a shoulder injury and did not return.
“I’ll have more information tomorrow,” Campbell said. “Both players have injuries. While I can’t rule out long-term issues, I don’t believe it’s anything season-ending. We’ll have a better understanding when we get home and assess them.”
Safety Brian Branch also exited the game with a neck injury and was subsequently placed in concussion protocol. Marcus Davenport, Levi Onwuzurike, Terrion Arnold, and Dan Skipper all missed some plays but managed to return.
Although the Lions secured the win, they will need all the recovery time possible as they prepare for their matchup against the unbeaten Seattle Seahawks (3-0) on Monday Night Football.
