Thursday was a night to forget for Detroit Lions fans. It quickly became clear that the Lions didn't have what it takes to keep up with Josh Allen and the Bills. It was a far more one-sided game than the two-possession final scoreline suggests.
A lot of the focus will understandably be on the terrible performance of the defensive unit. Lions fans will be dejected about the team's outlook for the rest of the season until they see major changes defensively.
One way the Lions can upgrade is through the trade market. But the bigger necessity is getting healthier. Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch are on the injured reserve, and the Lions need them to get on the field and look like their pre-injury selves to have a chance to become a good defense.
Avonte Maddox's injury may leave the Lions concerningly short-handed
Unfortunately, things got even worse for them on Thursday. Avonte Maddox, who is starting at safety in Branch and Joseph's absences, was carted off in the second quarter. Team insider Justin Rogers noted after the game that Maddox left the locker room on crutches and left foot in a boot.
The way the injury occurred adds to the streak of bad luck in terms of injuries that the Lions have had. Maddox and fellow safety Chuck Clark collided on the play, and Maddox immediately began pounding his fist on the ground in pain. Clark said he apologized to Maddox as he was coming out of the game for the "friendly fire" incident, per Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Head coach Dan Campbell said that they have to wait until Maddox goes through additional testing to know the extent of his injury. But he added that he is nervous because it's not a good sign that a tough player like Maddox can't return.
The walking boot and crutches could obviously be for precautionary reasons, but it's not a good sign for the veteran defensive back. His outlook for the next game is certainly not promising, but the Lions have to hope that he can avoid a longer-term absence.
If Maddox misses time, the Lions will turn to Thomas Harper and Christian Izien to replace him. Harper played 33 snaps, and Izien lined up for 26 on Thursday. While they were nowhere near the biggest issue with the Lions' defense, they also weren't difference-makers.
Detroit will be without Branch and Joseph until at least Week 5, but chances are that their return timeline will be longer than that. What they do at safety, now that Maddox is likely out of the picture as well, will be an important storyline to watch over the next couple of weeks.
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