The Detroit Lions were one of the few teams to live up to the hype during the 2023 NFL regular season, riding high throughout the season on their way to a franchise-tying 12 wins.
With the Lions clinching the No. 3 seed in the NFC, Jared Goff and the Los Angeles Rams will face off in what could be an all-out battle between two teams looking to make a statement in the postseason.
Unfortunately for the Lions, one of their best offensive weapons, rookie tight end Sam LaPorta, has suffered a knee injury that has jeopardized his ability to play in next week’s Wild Card Weekend game against the Rams.
According to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, LaPorta, one of the league’s best offensive rookies this season, suffered a hyperextended knee and bone bruise.
Dan Campbell, the team’s head coach, addressed the media, saying, “It’s not as bad as it looked, but it’s not good news.”
LaPorta caught five passes for 29 yards and a touchdown on Sunday in Week 18 before suffering an injury in the regular-season finale against the division rival Minnesota Vikings.
If LaPorta’s season is officially over, he put on a show during the regular season, catching 86 passes for 889 yards and ten touchdowns while becoming one of Goff’s favorite passing targets.
Losing LaPorta is a significant blow to the Lions’ offense, which they will almost certainly be unable to replace when they face the Rams in a must-win situation.
It will be interesting to see how the LaPorta loss affects Detroit and whether it proves too costly for the Lions in the playoffs.
