The Jacksonville Jaguars will be looking to pull off the upset when they face the Detroit Lions in Week 11. It will be a challenging task when you take into account that they'll be without a handful of key contributors.
Already, the team has ruled out quarterback Trevor Lawrence and running back Tank Bigsby for the game. The former has a shoulder sprain and the latter suffered an ankle injury that's been bothering him in recent weeks.
Regarding Lawrence, head coach Doug Pederson said that the fourth-year quarterback is trending in the right direction but isn't healthy enough yet to return to the lineup. Back in Week 9, he suffered a shoulder injury that was later diagnosed as a sprain. This will be the second straight game he'll sit out.
While surgery could be an option for Lawrence, the Jaguars will have their BYE in Week 13. The extra time could help him recover and get back on the football field. In the meantime, Mac Jones is starting behind center.
Bigsby, on the other hand, will be missing his first game of the season. After an unremarkable rookie campaign, the former Auburn Tiger caught a hot streak in 2024, registering 519 yards with five touchdowns on 95 rushes. However, the ankle injury has slowed him down the past two games, limiting him to just 10 carries for 26 yards.
Apart from Bigsby and Lawrence, the Jaguars have already ruled out second-year linebacker Yasir Abdullah. He didn't originally appear in the final injury report for Week 11 but was downgraded to out with a hamstring injury one day before the game. He won't be making the trip to Detroit.
The Jacksonville Jaguars have added LB Yasir Abdullah to the game status report with a hamstring injury. He has been ruled out for the game and will not travel to Detroit.
— JaguarsPR (@JaguarsPR) November 16, 2024
Similarly, the team announced Saturday that running back Keilan Robinson was downgraded from questionable to out. On top of that, wide receiver Velus Jones Jr. and linebacker Anthony Pittman have been promoted from the practice squad to the active roster via standard elevation.
Robinson started the season on injured reserve after suffering a toe injury in training camp. Jacksonville activated his 21-day window to return to practice not long ago, but it will need to free up a roster spot to make room for him, something head coach Doug Pederson said the team was considering.
On the other hand, left guard Ezra Cleveland (ankle), defensive end Josh Hines-Allen (shoulder), and cornerback Tyson Campbell (shoulder) were cleared to play. All of them popped up on the injury report but didn't get a designation for the Lions game.
On the Detroit sideline, the following players have been ruled out: Emmanuel Mosley (pectoral), tight end Sam Laporta (shoulder), defensive lineman Brodic Martin (knee), and defensive back Ifeatu Melifonwu (ankle/finger). Linebacker Ben Niemann (ankle) is questionable.
#JAXvsDET injury report presented by Henry Ford Health. pic.twitter.com/yf2bqrMOHF
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 15, 2024
Cornerback Carlton Davis broke his thumb Thursday in practice but will play with a cast. With that in mind, here's the full list of inactives.
Jaguars inactives for Week 11:
Here are the Jaguars inactives for today:
• Trevor Lawrence, QB
• Tank Bigsby, RB
• Yasir Abdullah, LB
• Javon Foster, OL
• Esezi Otomewo, DT
• Maason Smith, DT
#JAXvsDET Inactives pic.twitter.com/CNWjAx4W9q
— Jacksonville Jaguars (@Jaguars) November 17, 2024
Lions inactives for Week 11:
Here are the Lions inactives for today:
• Sam Laporta, TE
• Loren Strickland, S
• Giovanni Manu, OL
• Colby Sorsdal, OL
• Al-Quadin Muhammed, DL
• Christian Mahogany, OL
#JAXvsDET inactives presented by Henry Ford Health pic.twitter.com/h9937Qiqu9
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) November 17, 2024