The Detroit Lions will carry a six-game winning streak into Week 10 of "Sunday Night Football" against the AFC South-leading Houston Texans.
On the injury front for Detroit, the first meaningful practice report of the week on Thursday (after a walkthrough on Wednesday) invited a potential huge concern. That concern came to full fruition on Friday, with left tackle Taylor Decker did not practice and was ruled out due to a shoulder injury.
The plan to replace Decker on Sunday night will not be clear until reporters on-site pass along their observations from pre-game warmups.
Five other players were ruled out for the Lions on Friday (linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez, defensive tackle Brodric Martin, safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, cornerback Emmanuel Moseley and linebackerJalen Reeves-Maybin). But Reeves-Maybin (neck) was placed on IR as part of Saturday's roster moves, while Martin (knee), Melifonwu (ankle) and Moseley (pectoral) are in their 21-day evaluation windows to come off IR.
Only Decker and Rodriguez are on the Lions' active roster among those who were ruled out on Friday. So they're the only ones who are going to be listed as inactive for Sunday night's game.
Defensive end Za'Darius Smith, the Lions' big trade acquisition last Tuesday, was listed as questionable on Friday. He is not injured, but he was given two days off after the trade and his first practice with the team was on Friday. Smith's old team, the Cleveland Browns, have their bye this week so the Lions gave him some time off.
A report from NFL Network's Ian Rapoport Sunday morning said Smith is unlikely to make his Lions' debut on Sunday night, while ESPN's Adam Schefter later reported the Lions were trying to decide what to do given Smith would play 18 regular season games without a break if he plays on Sunday night.
Detroit Lions inactives list for Week at Texans
Here are the Lions' Week 10 inactives.
- OT Taylor Decker
- LB Malcolm Rodriguez
- DL Za'Darius Smith
- OG Christian Mahogany
- OL Giovanni Manu
- OL Colby Sorsdal
- S Loren Strickland
Here are the Week 10 inactives for the Texans.
- DE Will Anderson
- RB Dameon Pierce
- WR Nico Collins
- ILB Jamal Hill
- CB Myles Bryant
- OT Zachary Thomas