On weekly basis, the Detroit Lions are being injury-thinned and Sunday against the Buffalo Bills was no different with cornerback Carlton Davis, defensive tackle Alim McNeill and cornerback Khalil Dorsey suffering long-term/season-ending injuries.
The injury bug has now infiltrated the Lions. offense. ESPN's Adam Schefter was first to report running back David Montgomery suffered an MCL injury during Sunday's loss to the Bills and is out indefinitely. Schefter added there are "people in the Lions' organization" who think Montgomery will be lost for the season due to a sprained MCL, pending additional tests.
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reported Montgomery suffered a torn MCL, and could be out for the season (including the playoffs). Rapoport also noted additional tests that are coming.
David Montgomery R knee injury video
— Jimmy Liao MD | Detroit Lions Morning Rounds (@JimmyLiaoMD) December 16, 2024
-Unclear moment of injury
-1st clip is suspicious play when leg gets tangled up. Stayed in.
-Next carry R leg appears to give out
-Returned after halftime with knee wrap and finished game. No sig concern but worth watching. pic.twitter.com/9wM2BOLmOD
After Sunday's game, head coach Dan Campbell didn't seem overly concerned about the severity of Montgomery's injury, chalking up his lack of work (five carries for four yards, four catches for 31 yards, 24 snaps) to the Lions never getting the run game going. The game script also fostered more snaps for Jahmyr Gibbs.
"He just got a little banged up,” Campbell said, of Montgomery. “He got a little banged up, and really, look, we only had 15 rushes. We never got our run game going, which was going to be a point of emphasis.”
Lions running back David Montgomery out indefinitely
Montgomery is obviously a huge loss to the Lions' offense (775 rushing yards, 12 touchdowns; 36 catches for 341 yards this season), and he was rewarded as a core player with a two-year, $18.25 million contract extension back in October.
The Lions' run game has not been its typically proficient self in recent weeks, but all is not lost without Montgomery. Gibbs will now operate as the lead back, with Craig Reynolds and rookie Sione Vaki lined up to spell him.
During his usual Monday appearance on the "Pat McAfee Show", Schefter talked further about the Montgomery news and the the Lions' injury issues in general.
David Montgomery is out indefinitely after suffering an MCL injury yesterday..
— Pat McAfee (@PatMcAfeeShow) December 16, 2024
"The Lions think that he's gonna be done for the season but he is getting further testing..
He's getting a second opinion and we don't know what that's gonna uncover" ~ @AdamSchefter #PMSLive pic.twitter.com/oP50fzapFq
Schefter: "I don't remember the last time that we've seen one team this decimated with injuries. They have essentially gone through an entire defense. ... It's hard to line up a team when you lose that many players." https://t.co/DYWDru7Xad
— Nolan Bianchi (@nolanbianchi) December 16, 2024
It's barely to the middle of the day on Monday, and the Lions might be down four players who were injured on Sunday for the season as we await some sort of confirmation from Campbell when he has his day-after the game press conference.
Update, 3:10 p.m. ET: Campbell told reporters Montgomery will have season-ending knee surgery.
#Lions HC Dan Campbell says RB David Montgomery will require surgery that will put him out for the rest of the year. “We’re gonna miss him man,” he said.
— Eric Woodyard (@E_Woodyard) December 16, 2024