Week 7 has become a perfect storm of unfortunate developments for the Detroit Lions. From major injuries on defense to safety Brian Branch's suspension after his Week 6 altercation, Detroit is coming into Monday night severely hamstrung as far as defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's unit is concerned.
One possible saving grace for this unit was the fact that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were similarly banged up on offense coming out of last week. Stud running back Bucky Irving Jr. and wide receiver Chris Godwin were quickly ruled out for MNF, eliminating two possible threats.
However, it appears the Bucs won't be as limited on offense as they feared earlier in the week.
Lions Now Have to Worry About Mike Evans, Emeka Egbuka Again in Week 7
Sunday brought word of injury news the Lions don't want: According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, not only is star Tampa Bay wideout Mike Evans expected to play in Week 7, but rookie sensation Emeka Egbuka has "a real chance" to suit up as well despite suffering a hamstring injury last weekend.
This is a sudden turn of events for both wide receivers. They appeared likely to miss this primetime matchup on Friday, as they each logged a non-participation, giving Detroit hope it'd avoid two more game-wrecking talents. Yet, Egbuka managed to record a limited practice on Saturday, and Evans was a full participant, marking yet another unlucky injury break for head coach Dan Campbell's team.
Evans is already one matchup nightmare for the ailing Lions. At 6-foot-5 and 231 pounds, he's a massive presence on the field that heightens the Bucs' chances of moving the chains and putting up points. Detroit has managed to keep him under 50 yards in four of five career meetings, but the one time he broke loose was devastating; Evans ran rampant for 10 receptions, 182 yards, and two touchdowns on the road in a 47-7 thrashing in December 2020.
Meanwhile, Egbuka is already proving to be one of the best field-stretchers in the entire NFL just six games into his time as a pro. He's averaging a whopping 17.4 yards per catch and already has two 100-yard performances to his name. Plus, he's a preferred scoring target for Tampa Bay quarterback Baker Mayfield, tallying five scores already as a rookie.
Both wideouts can and will make plays for Tampa down the field, which is absolutely problematic for a Detroit unit trotting out backups across almost every position in the secondary. The absence of Branch and Kerby Joseph (knee injury) is especially concerning, as they're an incredibly reliable last line of defense that can make up for some of the cornerback bumps while Terrion Arnold and D.J. Reed look to get healthy again.
Luckily, the Lions have an explosive offense that could very well make up for any issues the weakened defense faces on Monday. But that also means Detroit has to be almost flawless when Jared Goff has the ball to ensure it comes away with a win.