On the day before Thanksgiving, the Detroit Lions received a holiday miracle with the news that four-time Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow was coming out of retirement to rejoin them. He, of course, wasn't going to play the holiday game against the Green Bay Packers, and it was subsequently reported by ESPN's Adam Schefter that he'll most likely suit up in Week 15 (Dec. 14) against the Los Angeles Rams.
The loss to the Packers dropped the Lions to 7-5 on the season. A season sweep at the hands of Green Bay also all but eliminated any chance at a third straight NFC North title. As it is, it'll probably take winning at least four of their final five games for the Lions to even make the playoffs.
The Lions will welcome the Dallas Cowboys to Ford Field to kick off Week 14 on Thursday Night Football. Dallas has won three straight to revive its playoff chances, including back-to-back wins over last year's Super Bowl participants. Even accounting for facing the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles on the road, the Lions were not particularly competitive against either of them.
Then, as mentioned, the Lions will travel to take on the Rams in Week 15 for what is most likely to be Ragnow's season debut. Former Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford looks like an MVP candidate, and if the Lions' pass rush remains as stagnant as it has been recently, that game could get ugly.
This Lions team is not what Frank Ragnow (probably) thinks he's coming back to
Losing Ragnow to retirement in June has had the expected impact. The interior of the Lions' offensive line has been a mess in recent weeks, with injuries to Christian Mahogany and Graham Glasgow exposing a lack of viable depth.
According to left tackle Taylor Decker, Ragnow pondered coming back in recent weeks before making his decision official on the last day he could have to play this season. So he surely sees himself as a missing piece for a team that has big and realistic aspirations.
Put Ragnow back in the middle of the offensive line to generally stabilize things, with Glasgow moving to left guard, and the Lions' offense will become consistently functional again, right?
If the Lions lose to the Cowboys, which could happen given the current trajectory of each team, a 7-6 record would surely push their odds to win the NFC North down to nil, pending the results of the rest of the week. Their odds of making the playoffs would also take an undeniable hit.
It only makes sense for Ragnow to set aside the injury concerns that led him to retire if the Lions are primed for a deep playoff run this year. With that looking increasingly unlikely, regardless of the result against Dallas, maybe he will quickly reconsider his decision to unretire.
It'd be a rough look, with everyone so excited for his return, but maybe Ragnow should reverse course and stay retired.