Detroit Lions inactives: Levy, Jones OUT against New Orleans Saints

Two players the Detroit Lions haven’t had to worry much about on the injury front this season will be missing the team’s Week 13 game against the New Orleans Saints. Marvin Jones, who has been hampered by a thigh injury this past week, was noted as a game time decision as early as this morning. The team’s signing of TJ Jones from the practice squad was a good indication that the team was doubtful of his game day status and even if he played, it wasn’t a good sign for his effectiveness. Tahir Whitehead was downgraded to “Out” with a knee injury that has been causing him trouble and reduced him to a limited participant all week in practice.

The team’s starting linebackers against the Saints are now listed as rookie 5th round pick Antwione Williams and swing backer Josh Bynes. The only other active linebacker is Thurston Armbrister, a special teamer who wasn’t very effective in limited action earlier in the season. I don’t recall the last time the team went into a week with only three active linebackers, but that’s where we are right now. This may be mitigated somewhat by the emergence of 3rd down phenom Miles Killebrew and the rotational if less than effective play of Brandon Copeland, who is currently listed as defensive end but mostly plays on special teams.

The team is a little better off at wide receiver with Golden Tate and Anquan Boldin, with Eric Ebron and Theo Riddick plays built in as well. Andre Roberts has been good for a catch a game, but that otherwise ends the list of the Lions receiving targets. TJ Jones has only recently been activated while Clay Harbor and Matthew Mulligan are limited, to be generous, in the receiving game. Among the other running backs, Zack Zenner has been decent in the receiving game while Dwayne Washington (whose receiving ability was lauded coming out of Washington) has mostly been unused an ineffective in that role. DeAndre Levy, who it started to seem may be ready, was also listed as out against the Saints.

Among other Lions that were dealing with injury, ST ace Don Carey dealt with a hamstring injury that sidelined him last week, and while it looked like he was goingt ob e back, he was listed as inactive against the Saints.

For the Saints, running back Mark Ingram is active after dealing with a toe injury. He is likely to split carries with Tim Hightower. Terron Armstead, who started six games for the Saints, was listed as inactive with a knee and quad injury meaning the team is likely to go back to former first round pick Andrus Peat, who has mostly played guard. There are no other significant inactives for the Saints.

Detroit Lions inactives 12/4/2016

LB Deandre Levy
WR Marvin Jones Jr.
LB Tahir Whitehead
FS Don Carey
OT Cornelius Lucas
OG Joe Dahl
QB Jake Rudock

New Orleans Saints inactives 12/4/2016

OT Terron Armstead
WR Jake Lampman
DB De’Vante Harris
RB Daniel Lasco
LB Sam Barrington
OL Landon Turner
RB Marcus Murphy