Week 14 TNF features two teams looking to keep their playoff hopes alive
USA TODAY Sports’ Chris Bumbaca and Prince Grimes break down the huge Thursday night matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and the Detroit Lions.
The Detroit Lions’ season of injuries continues to mount up.
The Lions are set to be without multiple key contributors when they host the Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) on “Thursday Night Football” on Thursday, Dec. 4. The question remaining is whether star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown will be among them.
St. Brown exited Detroit’s Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers after suffering an ankle injury when a lineman rolled on his leg from behind. His availability has been in doubt since.
Detroit enters Week 14 with a 7-5 record – eighth-best in the NFC – leaving them on the outside looking in to the playoff picture. They are battling to stay in the race and Lions fans are hopeful their All-Pro wide receiver will be available today.
Here’s the latest on St. Brown before “Thursday Night Football” kickoff against the Cowboys.
The Lions have not yet made a decision about St. Brown’s status for “Thursday Night Football.” Detroit listed him as “questionable” on its final injury report and is expected to make a game-time decision about his status.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported as of 2:07 p.m. ET that Detroit “doesn’t know yet” if St. Brown will suit up. He also reported St. Brown missing Thursday’s game and returning in Week 15 would be the more “realistic expectation,” though the Lions are expected to give St. Brown a chance to see if he can go.
St. Brown has only before missed two games during his five-year NFL career to date. The last one he missed was in 2023 when he suffered an abdominal injury in Week 3. He played through it before missing Week 5 due to the injury. Prior to that, he suffered an identical injury to this ankle sprain in Week 3 of 2022, which saw him miss Week 4.
St. Brown failed to participate in practice this week, but the Lions have no plans to place him on IR, which would require that he be out for at least four weeks. He was initially classified as “week-to-week” after suffering the low ankle sprain, per NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.
Pelissero also noted the Lions will have a mini-bye because of the “Thursday Night Football” matchup, which allows St. Brown extra time to recover if he can’t play against the Cowboys.
Detroit has been no stranger to playing without its stars on offense, with TE Sam LaPorta lost for the season.
Lions WR depth chart
The Lions have six receivers on their 53-man roster:
- Amon-Ra St. Brown (injured)
- Jameson Williams
- Kalif Raymond
- Isaac TeSlaa
- Tom Kennedy
- Dominic Lovett
Kalif Raymond and TE Brock Wright missed last week’s game, but they may be active for Thursday’s matchup against Dallas. Isaac TeSlaa and Tom Kennedy operated as the No. 2 and 3 WRs behind Jameson Williams after St. Brown exited on Thanksgiving.
Williams will be Jared Goff’s top target if St. Brown is sidelined. The 2022 first-round pick went off for 144 yards and a touchdown on seven receptions and a team-high 10 targets on Thanksgiving.
TeSlaa, a rookie third-round pick this season, could be more involved. His size at 6-4, 214 pounds makes him a legitimate red-zone threat.
