The Detroit Lions are 1-0 after a 31-30 Week 1 win over the New Orleans Saints, but it was not an easy victory and one that needed some extra time to decide. Still, Detroit did what it needed to do and prevented the Saints from converting what would have been a game-winning two-point conversion.
However, the Lions completely took their foot off the gas and let a 21-0 lead slip away from them. Now, they have to quickly turn their attention to the Buffalo Bills for a Thursday night showdown at the new Highmark Stadium that is sure to be rocking under the lights.
That short turnaround took another turn on Wednesday when the team revealed its injury report going into the game, listing both left guard Christian Mahogany (hip) and rookie right tackle Blake Miller (knee) as out and cornerback D.J. Reed (foot) as questionable.
That followed an earlier report saying the Lions could potentially be without the three of them. Now that Mahogany and Miller are officially ruled out, veteran offseason additions Larry Borom and Ben Bartch will likely assume those roles against a Bills team that recorded three sacks in a season-opening win over the Houston Texans.
Lions could face even taller task against Bills after latest news
It should come as no surprise that Mahogany will not be playing, considering he only lasted 11 offensive snaps in the opener and failed to finish the game after accidentally kicking his own foot and causing an overextension that resulted in the hip injury.
Miller suffered an ankle sprain in the first half, but he did not miss a snap and is now listed with a knee injury that will force him to miss a game just two weeks into his NFL career after not missing a single game during his collegiate career at Clemson.
It is a frustrating situation for the first-round pick who was expected to be a key to Detroit's success going forward as soon as he was drafted, but it opens the door for the veterans Borom and Bartch to step up instead.
The Lions already had to reshuffle their offensive line after center Cade Mays was sidelined with a right wrist injury, and that was no different for Mahogany and Bartch at left guard. Mahogany took most of the snaps there in the preseason, while Bartch had been recovering from last season's Lisfranc injury prior to camp and missed the first two preseason games after suffering a concussion.
That said, Bartch played 39 snaps at the position in the preseason finale and registered a higher offensive grade than Mahogany did in either of his two appearances, per Pro Football Focus.
Of all the positions on the offensive line, left guard was already up for grabs entering Week 1, so this could be a huge opportunity for Bartch to take advantage of and prove that he is worthy of the role outright.
Borom, too, gives the Lions some experience in his sixth season in the league, and the franchise has viewed him as someone who gives them flexibility and starting potential when needed. It is time for him to prove it on Thursday night as Miller sits on the sideline.
Head coach Dan Campbell has reiterated how confident he is in this team and the roster that he and the coaching staff have put together. While the offensive line may need to be considered fluid depending on the early-season returns and how the injuries pan out, the Lions could reap the benefits of bringing in two veterans if they can adapt to the changes quickly in a short week.
The Lions already put themselves in a bind when they struggled to put the Saints away, and it will not get any easier in a raucous road environment as the changes up front take place on short notice.
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