Coming off a 41-34 loss to the Los Angeles Rams in Week 15, the Detroit Lions enter their Week 16 matchup with the Pittsburgh Steelers one spot out of the NFC playoff field at 8-6. One of the reasons for the inconsistency has been the injuries to their offensive line, and that will once again be a factor this week.
Center Graham Glasgow (knee) is listed as questionable for Sunday afternoon's game, while left guard Christian Mahogany has been on the IR with a leg injury he suffered in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings. According to Mike Payton of A to Z Sports, head coach Dan Campbell said the decision on Mahogany's status for Sunday will come down to what he is capable of doing on Friday.
As for Glasgow, who also missed Thursday's practice, Campbell said he does not expect him to practice on Friday, per ESPN Lions reporter Eric Woodyard. With the Steelers awaiting on Sunday and two road games against the Vikings and the Chicago Bears to finish out the regular season, the Lions need everyone they can get for their playoff push, and that seems uncertain at the moment.
Lions OL Injuries Continue to Take a Toll at Critical Point in Season
It does at least sound like there is a chance Mahogany is making his return, which would be greatly appreciated after the inconsistencies the Lions have experienced in his absence. Kayode Awosika, Trystan Colon, and rookie Miles Frazier have each appeared at left guard while Mahogany has been out. To say they have struggled would be an understatement, with Colon, specifically, posting subpar Pro Football Focus grades in each major category, including a dismal 34.4 pass blocking grade.
Mahogany has not been exceptional in his own right, but he has proven to be a key part of Detroit's offensive line during his second NFL season and first as a starter. Sure, his pass blocking has also been an issue as the 68th-ranked guard (out of 78) with a 46.9 grade, but his run blocking has been the biggest difference, posting the 15th-best grade (73.4) while only committing two penalties all season. That speaks to a young player who is valuable to opening up the lanes for Detroit's fifth-ranked rushing attack (131.1 YPG).
While the veteran Glasgow ranks near the bottom of each category among centers, he has played 800 offensive snaps this season and only committed two penalties, so he is someone the Lions would certainly prefer to have available for their crucial upcoming stretch. It also does not help that second-year player Giovanni Manu, who filled in for the injured Taylor Decker earlier this season, is not getting enough reps for the Lions to fully know what he is capable of providing. With this many injury concerns on this offensive line, having as much depth as possible is important, and it does not appear that Manu, who was designated to return from injured reserve this week, is in a position to provide much assistance this season.
For this Lions team to be at its best, it must have a balanced offensive attack and keep its up-and-down defense rested up as the intensity builds to make the playoffs. Having a healthy offensive line is one way to ensure that, and Detroit currently finds itself facing some uncertainty there at the most critical time of the season.