Thursday open thread: Should Tion Green get playing time vs. Ravens?

It’s not often that a fanbase gets a little excited when their team’s starting running back is out with an injury, but that’s what seemed to have happened this week. Detroit Lions running back Ameer Abdullah missed Wednesday’s practice, and just check out some of the reactions on Twitter:

Obviously, frustrations with Ameer Abdullah have reached a boiling point after he rushed for just 14 yards on six carries and was arguably responsible for a botched handoff against the Vikings. Some have called for Theo Riddick to get more carries. Others want Zach Zenner to get the rock.

But there have been a loud portion of fans that want undrafted rookie Tion Green to get his shot. Green has managed to stay on the 53-man roster all year, but has not been active on gameday once this entire season. So today’s Question of the Day is:

Should Tion Green get playing time with the offense against the Ravens this week?

My answer: Obviously, this hypothetical question changes depending on Ameer Abdullah’s availability. We still have no idea how serious his injury is or how likely it is that he’ll miss Sunday’s game.

But whether Abdullah is in or out, the answer is no for me. The Lions are in desperate need of wins down the stretch. This is not the time for Detroit to start experimenting with players who have never played a down in the NFL. And if the Lions actually felt that Green was ready to make his debut, giving him the ball against this Ravens defense seems like a great way to set him up for immediate failure.

If the Lions are in a position in a few weeks where the playoffs are a mathematical impossibility, then go wild! Find out if Green has anything up his sleeve, because there’s literally no downside if the answer is no.

But the games are just too important right now, and playing a guy with no experience is just too risky. I understand the sentiment that “things can’t get worse than they are now,” but I just don’t agree. Things can definitely get worse, and I’d rather not take that chance while playoffs are on the line.

Your turn.