In the days leading up to the Detroit Lions home opener against the Arizona Cardinals, several key players were listed on their initial release of the injury report. While this does not mean that these players will for sure not play in the first game of the season, it does make fans wonder how much of a chance Detroit has against the Cardinals without key guys at 100%.
The following players were listed on Detroit’s initial injury report which was released on Wednesday.
| Ezekiel Ansah – DE | Limited Participation |
| Kenny Golladay – WR | Limited Participation |
| Corey Robinson – T | Limited Participation |
| Zach Zenner – RB | Limited Participation |
Ezekiel Ansah:
If Ziggy is forced to miss the first game of the season, it would be a big blow to the Lions pass rush and their ability to stop Cardinals RB David Johnson. He is a major part of the defensive line and with Detroit already without Kerry Hyder Jr., it would make it even more difficult to defend against the Cardinals offense.
Kenny Golladay:
The rookie receiver out of Northern Illinois showed promise throughout the preseason and without him on the field, Stafford would be missing a literally huge target. Listed as 6-4, Golladay could be a key piece when in the red zone and in short yardage situations. If he is not able to suit up, that will further limit Stafford’s weapons against Patrick Peterson and the Arizona defense.
Corey Robinson:
Even though Robinson is listed as the backup to Ricky Wagner on the depth chart, it is always good to have someone to fall back on in case of an injury. He is a solid right tackle and could prove to be very handy for Detroit in case Wagner goes down.
Zach Zenner:
As the power-back of our group of running backs, Zenner would be missed greatly in short yardage and goal line situations. While Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick are good in space, Zach Zenner is the guy most fit to get those hard earned yards. Without him in the opening day lineup, Detroit would be without a true power man in the backfield.
