ALLEN PARK — To say the Detroit Lions are limping to the finish line might be unfair to limping.
Receiver Kenny Golladay, safety Quandre Diggs, tight end Luke Willson, cornerback DeShawn SHead and defensive tackles Snacks Harrison and A’Shawn Robinson were all sidelined for practice on Wednesday. Throw in the 11 players currently on injured reserve, and Detroit was without 17 players as it began preparing for the season finale against Green Bay.
Of that 17, nine were full-time starters to open the season.
That includes all three of their top defensive tackles, with Robinson and Harrison out today and Da’Shawn Hand on IR. It also includes the top three receivers they have left in Golladay, Marvin Jones (IR) and Bruce Ellington (IR). And it includes their top two pass-catching tight ends, in Willson and Michael Roberts (IR).
One player who refuses to go out, though, is quarterback Matthew Stafford. He’s been slowed by a bad back for almost four weeks, but still hasn’t missed a day of practice due to injury since 2012. He’s expected to make his 128th straight start Sunday, the third longest active streak in the league.
