Detroit Lions fans were also anxiously awaiting news regarding a concerning injury to superstar wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. Losing to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving was a bitter pill to swallow. The last thing head coach Dan Campbell needed was one of his primary playmakers potentially going to the shelf.
St. Brown left the game early with an ankle issue. He was initially listed as questionable but was ruled out soon after. Campbell sounded cautiously optimistic after the contest, claiming that the wideout might miss a couple of weeks without this issue being more long-term.
Still, it was a nervous wait for fans before something got confirmed one way or another. According to Tom Pelissero from the NFL Network, Campbell was correct in his initial prognosis.
Lions get cautiously optimist news on Amon-Ra St. Brown's ankle injury
The respected insider, citing sources, reported that St. Brown suffered a low ankle sprain. Evaluations are ongoing, but the Lions hope to get him involved much sooner than initially anticipated. And a situation could arise in which the former USC standout misses only one game.
"Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is believed to have suffered a low ankle sprain Sunday, sources say, and while he continues to be evaluated, it’s good news so far on his chances for returning sooner than later. Detroit plays just one game in the next 16 days: Dec. 4 against Dallas."Tom Pelissero
This could have been a lot worse. Even missing one contest would be a blow to the Lions' playoff hopes, hanging by a thread. However, if St. Brown can get back for Detroit's final four games of the campaign, that's a win-win for everybody.
Obviously, it's a wait-and-see scenario. Ankle injuries tend to flare up when not given enough time to heal. St. Brown is a competitive individual who'll want to play through the pain barrier, so this is all about weighing the risk versus reward for the Lions.
Campbell is a renowned risk-taker. The Lions will be going home in five weeks if they cannot pick themselves off the canvas, so when St. Brown is close, he'll be thrown into the fire once again.
If St. Brown reaggravates the ankle sprain, so be it. But he'll be the first one clamoring to get back into the fold.
The three-time Pro Bowler will get time to rest and rehab. St. Brown will tackle this challenge with the urgency it deserves, and hopefully, this can result in minimal time missed.
Stranger things have happened.