The Detroit Lions are coming off an upset loss to the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field in Detroit on Sunday, November 2, where the team fell to their NFC North rivals with a 27-24 final score. Losing always stings, but because this game was a loss to a rival in the NFC North, it hurt even more.
But, there’s no use in looking back, unless it’s to look at tape and improve in areas that were weak and powerless on Sunday. (Yes, that’s a reference to an A Perfect Circle song.) The best move is to look forward, and up next the Lions will take on the Washington Commanders on the road on Sunday, November 9.
The Detroit Lions have a 5-3 record going into their Commanders game, and Washington is 3-6, according to NFL statistics. The Commanders actually just fell lopsided way to the Seattle Seahawks, with a 38-14 final score at home. That loss is already bad news for the Lions, because the Commanders will be angry and ready to get some vindication on Sunday. But, there’s even more concerning news about the upcoming Lions-Commanders game.
Detroit Lions Will Face a Player Who Wasn’t Supposed to Play on Sunday
One bright spot going into Sunday’s game is that Commanders linebacker Frankie Luvu was supposed to be sidelined for repeated violations of the rule against hip-drop tackles. But, the NFL announced on Tuesday, November 4, that they are reversing that decision. Now, Luvu is cleared to go up against the Lions on Sunday.
“Luvu had appealed a ruling that he would be suspended one game, costing him a game check worth $508,333,” John Keim of ESPN notes in a Tuesday, November 4 feature. “Derrick Brooks, jointly appointed by the NFL and the NFLPA, heard the appeal. Luvu was instead fined $100,000.”
So, Luvu will still have to pay $100,000, but he won’t lose an entire game check of $508,333, and he can play against Detroit.
According to a news release from the NFL, Luvu broke a rule that’s made to “protect the health and safety of players.” The rule says that it’s a violation if a player uses a technique to tackle a player where he “grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms; and unweights himself by swiveling or dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.”
The State of the Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders
The Commanders have now lost four games in a row, so they’ll need Luvu. They’ll also be without starting quarterback Jayden Daniels, who’s sidelined with a dislocated elbow injury. Daniels was injured during the team’s game on November 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. Marcus Mariota will be the starting quarterback for the Commanders this Sunday, and Josh Johnson will serve as the backup.
The NFL reports that these fines will go to the Professional Athletes Foundation to “support legends in need and the NFL Foundation to further support the health, safety and wellness of athletes across all levels, including youth football and the communities that support the game.”
So, the Lions lost their first game coming out of the NFL bye week, and now, they’re hoping to make it better on Sunday.
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