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Lions Player's 2nd Practice Absence Comes With Silver Lining

By Richard Louis

Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell celebrates a play against Tennessee Titans next to wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024.
Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell celebrates a play against Tennessee Titans next to wide receivers coach Antwaan Randle El during the first half at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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The Detroit Lions will kick off their 2025 postseason run on Saturday night. The No. 1 seed Lions are hosting the No. 6 seed Washington Commanders in a Divisional Round battle.

The Lions are one game away from playing in the NFC Championship and look to continue their hot season. Detroit started diving into the Commanders ever since their game against the Buccaneers in the Wild Card round.

They took things onto the practice field on Wednesday but were missing two offensive linemen during the session.

Lions News: Kevin Zeitler and Taylor Decker Missed Wednesday’s Practice

Guard Kevin Zeitler and tackle Taylor Decker were both absent from Wednesday's session. Zeitler is dealing with a hamstring injury that he suffered in Week 18 against the Minnesota Vikings. He signed a one-year deal with Detroit and has been an anchor upfront for them. The 34-year-old has an 86.8 overall grade (5th among 135 eligible guards) and an 87.2 run-blocking grade (3rd among 135 eligible guards) per PFF.

He's also played in 16 games for the Lions, showing his consistency. On Wednesday, Zeitler was seen running and working on his pass sets on the side with trainers.

Meanwhile, Decker was out for a personal reason. Even though he wasn't present, he's still expected to play. Decker has logged 894 offensive snaps this season, finishing with a 77 overall grade, 76 pass-blocking grade, and 72 run-blocking grade, according to PFF.

Having a physical and mauling offensive line is a part of the Lions' identity. They love being able to overpower their opponents, which goes a long way. Detroit was sixth in the league in rushing offense (146.4) and is going up against a Washington defense that was ranked 30th in rushing yards allowed (137.5).

Having these guys out there plays a big factor in that success. We'll keep an eye on the injury report throughout the rest of the week but it looks like Decker will be playing. It remains to be seen regarding Zeitler's availability.

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