Not only were the Detroit Lions victims to the hot Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills Sunday, but they also may have lost their young stud of a defensive tackle, Alim McNeill. This adds to the injury-filled Lions’ roster, which deals with big-time players, especially on the defensive side of the ball, missing a bunch of time this season. The Lions sit atop the NFC with a 12-2 record after losing to the Bills. How will this injury affect the Lions? Will the defense be able to compete without some of their key players? Are the Lions still a Super Bowl favorite?
McNeill May Miss the Rest Of the Season
The Detroit Lions have had more injuries than any other team in the NFL. At one point, the team had 18 players on injured reserve, yet somehow managed to maintain the best record in the NFC. Alim McNeill would be added to the long list of players who have gone down with injuries for the Lions this season. He joins other key defensive players, Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Derrick Barnes, and Marcus Davenport, who all have missed significant time with the team.
McNeill was having himself a solid season with 3.5 sacks, but most of his contributions go unrecognized. He consistently puts pressure on opposing quarterbacks and causes chaos for the opponent’s run game. Alim McNeill suffered his knee injury while trying to contain Josh Allen on a third-and-long play. He jumped up and landed awkwardly. The Lions were able to make a deal for Za’Darius Smith after the gruesome leg injury to Aidan Hutchinson versus the Dallas Cowboys.
Unfortunately for the team, they don’t have the luxury of trying to replace McNeill through a trade. Dan Campbell was quoted after the game saying, “Normally if I’m saying I don’t feel good, that means not good for the rest of the year. So don’t feel good about it.”
McNeill was a 3rd round pick in 2021 out of the University of North Carolina for Brad Holmes and the Detroit Lions. He has quickly become one of the fan favorites for the city of Detroit with his determination, work ethic, and gritty gameplay. A combination of Levi Onwuzurike, Brodric Martin, DJ Reader, and Myles Adams will try to step up to fill the void.
What’s Next For the Lions?
The Detroit Lions are still Vegas’ betting favorite to win the Super Bowl, now by a slimmer margin ahead of the Buffalo Bills. With depleted personnel, Defensive Coordinator Aaron Glenn will have his hands full coming up with a game plan to keep opposing teams’ offenses in check. Offensive Coordinator Ben Johnson may also feel the pressure.
The Lions may have to simply try to outscore their opponents in shoot-out-type games. The remaining schedule for the Lions is favorable, playing sub-.500 teams on the road, the Bears and 49ers. Then they host the Minnesota Vikings in the last game of the season, which could have huge playoff implications. The Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings are hot on the Lions’ tail, looking to dethrone Detroit as the top seed in the NFC.
Final Thoughts
The Alim McNeill injury may be more significant than fans would like to admit. His numbers aren’t gaudy, but his effort and constant double teams open things up for the rest of the defense. Detroit has been riding high on the next-man-up mentality this season, but when does the level of talent on the field start to set in? It seems like every game, this team suffers a key injury that tries to derail this team’s opportunity for their first Super Bowl appearance. Can this team overcome yet another blow?
This is the era of Detroit Lions football, where it is Super Bowl or bust, and who knows how long the window will be open for a franchise that is used to being a bottom feeder amongst professional organizations across the sports world.
