Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown suffered a low-ankle sprain in the team's Week 13 loss to the Green Bay Packers, casting doubt on his availability for Thursday's crucial matchup against the Dallas Cowboys. The injury comes at a pivotal time for the 7-5 Lions, who are already without tight end Sam LaPorta and face long odds to make the playoffs. St. Brown plans to push through the pain, but his absence could severely hamper the Lions' offense.
The Detroit Lions' playoff aspirations took a hit during their Thanksgiving Day loss to the Green Bay Packers when star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown exited early with a low-ankle sprain. According to NFL Media, the injury occurred in the first quarter, and an MRI on Friday confirmed it would not require injured reserve placement but could sideline him for one to two weeks. St. Brown missed Monday's practice and intends to test his ankle before the Week 14 Thursday Night Football game against the Dallas Cowboys at Ford Field.
St. Brown's importance to the Lions cannot be overstated. Since entering the NFL in 2021, Detroit ranks No. 1 in yards per play with him on the field and No. 25 without him, per CBS Sports Research. The team also sits No. 2 in offensive efficiency with St. Brown active, dropping to No. 16 when he is sidelined. Over his first five seasons, he has amassed 505 receptions, the second-most in league history for a player in that span. He has topped 1,161 receiving yards in each of the last three seasons and notched double-digit touchdowns in the past two.
The Lions, already missing tight end Sam LaPorta, rely heavily on St. Brown to fuel quarterback Jared Goff's passing attack. At 7-5, Detroit trails the NFC North leaders—Chicago Bears (9-3) and Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)—and enters Week 14 as underdogs to make the playoffs at +122 odds, with +950 to repeat as division champions. Facing a resurgent Cowboys team on a three-game win streak, including victories over last season's Super Bowl participants, the Lions' offense could struggle without their WR1.
Lions coach Dan Campbell has emphasized resilience, but the stakes are high in this NFC showdown. Detroit's recent alternating win-loss pattern offers slim optimism, but a healthy St. Brown remains key to salvaging their postseason chances.