The Detroit Lions are flying high entering Week 4 after blowing the doors off the Chicago Bears before going on the road and knocking off the Baltimore Ravens to improve to 2-1 on the season.
While the offense is firing on all cylinders, scoring 89 points over the last two weeks alone, quarterback Jared Goff & Co. will face a tough test this Sunday when they square off against one of the league's top defenses in the Cleveland Browns. Much like Detroit, Cleveland is feeling great entering Week 4 as well, but it is the defense that has Browns fans excited, as that unit currently holds the No. 1 defensive grade on Pro Football Focus.
This is why Wednesday's injury report, along with the subsequent explanations from Browns head coach Kevin Stefanski, will offer the Lions a bit of a break as they are coming off a short week.
Browns' Defensive Injuries Offer Lions Relief Ahead of Week 4 Game
The defensive injuries are piling up for Cleveland as Wednesday's pre-practice injury report included 2024 second-round pick defensive tackle Mike Hall, veteran DT Shelby Harris, and former top-5 overall pick cornerback Denzel Ward. According to Kelsey Russo of ClevelandBrowns.com, none of those players is expected to take the field for practice.
From the Lions' perspective alone, these three players missing from practice this close to Sunday's game is a welcome sign for the offense, and the special teams unit, for that matter. While Ward has been dealing with a shoulder issue since training camp, Stefanski revealed on Wednesday (h/t @ScottPetrak) that Ward has a toe injury that he's fighting through. This is a new ailment and one that could hamper him on Sunday, even if he is available to play.
Hall has been sidelined since the beginning of the season as he works his way back from the knee injury he suffered during the final game of the 2024 campaign. The former second-round pick did attempt to test his knee in a return to the practice field on Sept. 17; however, he has not been back on the practice field since, according to Mary Kay Cabot of Cleveland.com.
Harris was one of the heroes in the Browns' victory over the Packers as the defensive lineman blew offensive lineman Jordan Morgan off the line of scrimmage and got a hand on the field goal attempt from Brandon McManus. Given that it was his sixth blocked field goal attempt since the 2014 season, the most in the NFL over that span, the fact that the big man is dealing with a hamstring injury is something that could prevent him from having his typical impact in Week 4, whether he plays or not.
Regardless of the status of this trio moving forward, the Lions are in no position to take the Browns lightly this Sunday when the two meet at Ford Field. Fortunately, head coach Dan Campbell isn't the type to let his team overlook an opponent, though, even if they are fighting through injury issues like Cleveland is.