After decades of failure, the Detroit Lions are finally elite. However, winning comes at a price, and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez paid it on Thanksgiving.
Rodriguez is out for the season after tearing his ACL during the Lions' 23-20 victory over the Chicago Bears on Thursday, via NFL insider Jordan Schultz.
“It’s a devastating blow for ‘Rodrigo, who has started six games this year while recording 43 tackles and two sacks — and embodies everything Detroit football stands for,” Schultz tweeted.
Rodriguez has been vital to Detroit's front seven since losing Derrick Barnes and Alex Anzalone, who will miss the rest of the season. The unit is now even more depleted, as the Lions also lost Josh Paschal (knee) and Levi Onzuruwike (hamstring), although their ailments are believed to be less serious.
Regardless, head coach Dan Campbell won't complain, via The Detroit Free Press's Dave Birkett.
“Let me ask you this: Does it really matter?” Campbell asked. “Like who cares. And that’s what I go back to, man … it doesn’t matter. Like either it is or it isn’t, and we get a guy back or we don’t get a guy back. Worrying about it and moaning about it and b*tching about it, it’s like calls.”
Campbell has a point, as Detroit is 11-1 despite its injury woes. Dominating the regular season, though, guarantees nothing under the bright lights in January.
Lions' depth will be tested as season wears on
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A hallmark of championship teams is adjustability in the face of adversity. Football is a violent game full of injuries, and Detroit will now have to rely on backups that it may not have anticipated playing big roles before the season started. However, most Super Bowl-winning squads have had enough depth to persevere.
With star edge rusher Aidan Hutchinson also out for the season, the Lions' backups must each contribute to somewhat make up for the lost personnel. Players like Trevor Nowaske and Ben Niemann are candidates for increased playing time moving forward.
