The Detroit Lions have a relatively clean bill of health heading into their showdown with the Buffalo Bills, especially considering what they’ve struggled with lately.

The Lions had no new players on the pregame inactive list and received left tackle Taylor Decker and defensive linemen DJ Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, Josh Paschal and Alim McNeill back after either missing the Packers game or due to injuries left early.

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It didn’t take long for the Lions to suffer an injury. Carlton Davis III was injured in the first and second quarters. He returned after being knocked out the first time, but was placed in a concussion protocol after leaving the game for the second time and is questionable.

Find live updates on the Lions’ injury list here.

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Alim McNeill is extremely frustrated after having to leave the game due to injury

For the second time in a row, Alim McNeill has left the Detroit Lions game.

McNeill appeared to be injured on the Bills’ third-and-long play after helping put some pressure on Bills quarterback Josh Allen. McNeill immediately appeared to be in pain and limped to the sideline with the help of trainers. The dominant defensive tackle appeared extremely frustrated and almost slammed his helmet.

McNeill sat on the bench while trainers examined his right leg.

McNeill had to leave last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers with a head injury, but with a little extra rest he was able to recover in time to return against the Bills.

A short time later, McNeill was forced to miss the game with a knee injury.

Report: Khalil Dorsey hospitalized with serious leg injury

It’s not surprising given the immediate response to Dorsey’s injury, but CBS’ Tracy Wolfson reported on Sunday’s broadcast that the cornerback was quickly transported to a local hospital.

Dorsey is the second player on the Lions defense to suffer a serious leg injury and be hospitalized after Aidan Hutchinson broke his leg in a game against the Dallas Cowboys earlier this year.

Carlton Davis III is out with a jaw injury

After leaving the game in the second quarter, Carlton Davis III is out with a jaw injury. Davis lay on the ground for a while before he was helped off the field by trainers. The team announced fairly quickly that Davis was questionable with a jaw injury and that he was suffering from a concussion.

In the third quarter, Davis was officially ruled out of the game, making matters worse for a secondary that suddenly looked banged up after Khalil Dorsey was carted off the field with what appeared to be a serious leg injury.

DB Khalil Dorsey was forced off after a serious leg injury; The Lions have now lost two CBs

The Detroit Lions lost cornerback Khalil Dorsey to an injury late in the second quarter on Sunday afternoon against the Buffalo Bills at Ford Field in the biggest game of Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season.

Dorsey was on the field on third-and-goal and in coverage near the line of scrimmage when he collided with linebacker Ezekiel Turner in coverage and immediately fell to the ground. The play continued and eventually ended incomplete with Dorsey still lying on the ground waving toward the sideline to ask for immediate help.

Dorsey and the trainers remained on the field and eventually waited for the injury cart to reach the 10-yard line. The entire Lions team and coaching staff came onto the field as Dorsey was loaded onto the cart and brought onto the field. As he left the field, he received a standing ovation from the Lions fans.

Dorsey was on the field to replace cornerback Carlton Davis III, who left with a head injury early in the second quarter. Davis stayed down after helping tackle James Cook and walked off the field to the locker room. It was later announced that Davis had suffered a concussion and suffered a jaw injury.

Dorsey was ruled out immediately with an ankle injury, the team announced before halftime.

RB David Montgomery limps off the field after a big fourth-down conversion

Although he didn’t get the ball, David Montgomery left the game after the Lions converted a great fourth down in the second quarter. The Lions had a good play on a long pass to Amon-Ra St. Brown, but Montgomery seemed to make a change, limping to the sideline and being replaced by Jahmyr Gibbs. Montgomery was working with coaches on the sidelines at the time, trying to see if he could lighten up.

Montgomery eventually returned and, as usual, shared time with Gibbs.

CB Carlton Davis III questionable with jaw/concussion after leaving game

In his first year with the Lions, Davis helped turn around a Lions secondary school that was a disaster last year. But it hasn’t been easy for the former Tampa Bay Buccaneers cornerback. Davis has dealt with a handful of bumps and bruises this year – most recently a thumb injury – and was seen working with trainers during the Bills’ first offensive drive of the game.

Davis was back on the field for the second defensive tackle of the game, signaling it was nothing serious.

However, in the second quarter, Davis was involved in a tackle on a Bills running play and immediately appeared to be in pain. After lying down for a while, Davis walked to the sideline wearing sneakers and was taken to the blue tent for further observation.

In the second quarter, the Lions announced on social media that Davis was questionable to return due to a jaw injury and that he was being evaluated for a concussion.

Before the game: The Lions are healthier than they have been in weeks

In many ways, the Lions have held things together off the road with tape and free agents. Many of those midseason additions will still be seen on the field this week, particularly in the depleted linebacker core, but the Lions are bringing back a lot of guys on Sunday, just in time for a battle with Josh Allen and the high-powered Bills offense.

Reader, Onwuzurike, Paschal and McNeill will all be back in the lineup, along with Decker at left tackle. Of course, the NFL is a battle of attrition, and a few key injuries could set the Lions back completely.

Lions are already on injured reserve

As many wins as the Lions have had this year, injuries have been as big a story as anything else. Despite losing almost all of their starting defensive linemen early in the season, the Lions have found ways to win with exotic defensive playcalls and an aggressive approach on offense.

Lions players placed on injured reserve include: Edge Aidan Hutchinson (leg), Edge Marcus Davenport (triceps), linebacker Derrick Barnes (knee), linebacker Jalen Reeves-Maybin (neck), linebacker Alex Anzalone (forearm ), linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee). ), safety Ifeatu Melifonwu, defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., wide receiver Kalif Raymond (foot), defensive lineman John Cominsky (knee), defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo (knee) and defensive tackle Kyle Peko (chest).

The Lions hope to get some of their contributors back from IR before the playoffs, such as Anzalone, who broke his arm a month ago. Detroit is holding out hope that Hutchinson, who broke his leg to avoid a poor start to the season, could return late in the playoffs, but a potential return remains unclear.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions injury update: Carlton Davis out; Khalil Dorsey was transported