Running back David Montgomery told NBC Sports that the new OC, Drew Petzing, “knows exactly what needs to happen” for the Lions to go back to a Super Bowl contender. Montgomery, specifically, wants to have a bounceback year after being neglected last year in the snap share.

Montgomery’s future is up in the air. General manager Brad Holmes said the Lions will take a look at the RB future this offseason. In his peak, Montgomery is one of the best allies Jared Goff has on offense.

Montgomery is not the only player endorsing Petzing

Amon-Ra St. Brown is one of the best wideouts in the NFL and is fresh off a Pro Bowl season where he had 117 receptions for 1,401 yards and 11 touchdowns. Individually, St. Brown was once again a huge player for the Lions. However, he also spoke about the hiring of Petzing.

Amon-Ra said, “Do you think they’d [Lions] just hire a random dude?” implying Petzing is more than ready to make this Lions offense great again. The Lions are confident on Petzing’s abilities to improve the team. After the bad experience under John Morton, the team wants to be as explosive as they were with Ben Johnson back in the day.

The Lions must recover credibility

The Lions will be trying to regain all the momentum lost this 2025 NFL season. The team has also been depleted by injuries the last two years and that has minimized its Super Bowl window.

But also, this past season made the Lions look really beatable, something that didn’t happen before. The team ended 9-8 this season but at points, it didn’t seem as the polished, gritty, and tough team people expected.

Securing a win at Soldier Field won’t be easy, making St. Brown’s presence a potentially significant boost for the team in such a hostile environment. Fortunately, Dan Campbell seems to have some good news on that front.

While the NFL’s official site initially listed the wide receiver as questionable for the Week 18 matchup, multiple reports—including one from The Detroit Times—indicate that Amon-Ra St. Brown is expected to play against the Bears.

The injury that has been troubling St. Brown

Amon-Ra St. Brown has been battling a combination of injuries that began during the Detroit Lions‘ Thanksgiving Day game against the Green Bay Packers. During the first quarter of that matchup, he suffered a low-ankle sprain when a defender rolled up on the back of his leg while he was engaged in a block.

Although he managed to play through the discomfort in subsequent weeks, his condition was further complicated by knee pain following a game against the Pittsburgh Steelers and a hard hit late in the Christmas Day game against the Minnesota Vikings.

The impact of Amon-Ra St. Brown on the field

Despite the Detroit Lions’ disappointing 2025 season and their recent elimination from playoff contention following a Week 17 loss to the Vikings, Amon-Ra St. Brown has remained the undisputed engine of the team’s offense.

His undeniable chemistry with quarterback Jared Goff has reached new heights, as he has hauled in 106 receptions for 1,262 yards and a career-high 11 touchdowns, averaging 11.9 yards per catch.

Even as the team struggled with a late-season slide, Goff continued to lean on St. Brown as his most trusted “chain-mover” and red-zone target, cementing the “Sun God” as one of the most productive and consistent receivers in the NFL today.

According to the official NFL website, both players were listed as questionable for the game at US Bank Stadium. However, according to the latest report from Ian Rapoport on X, all indications are that both St. Brown and Montgomery are expected to play.

It’s undoubtedly a huge boost for Jared Goff to have both players on the field, especially since a win is the only result that matters to keep Lions’ hopes alive for a Wild Card spot.

What injuries are affecting St. Brown and Montgomery?

St. Brown is dealing with knee irritation that limited his practice participation throughout the week, while Montgomery was a late addition to the injury report due to an illness. Although both stars are technically game-time decisions, recent reports suggest they are likely to play through their respective issues to help the Lions in this crucial divisional clash.

The impact of both players on the offense

Amon-Ra St. Brown and David Montgomery have been the offensive engines for the Lions this season, consistently delivering elite production. St. Brown has established himself as a premier target with 98 receptions for 1,194 yards and 11 touchdowns, maintaining an impressive 12.2 average per catch. Meanwhile, Montgomery has been a force on the ground, racking up 649 yards and 8 touchdowns on 140 carries, averaging a solid 4.6 yards per attempt.

The playoff dream

With a current record of eight wins and seven losses, the Detroit Lions are still in the hunt for a playoff spot in the NFC North. Ahead of their matchup against the Vikings, the official NFL website lists their chances of securing a Wild Card at 6%, but a win could boost that to 9%. Is it enough? No. But the dream remains alive.

The slate kicks off at Northwest Stadium, where the Washington Commanders will host the Dallas Cowboys in a head-to-head NFC East showdown. With both teams already eliminated from playoff contention, America’s Team will be led by veteran quarterback Dak Prescott, while the Commanders will turn to Josh Johnson under center following the absences of Jayden Daniels and Marcus Mariota.

Next up, the spotlight shifts to the NFC North. The Minnesota Vikings will host the Detroit Lions, who are still dreaming of a playoff berth. The home team will lean on Max Brosmer as its primary signal-caller, while Dan Campbell will once again put his trust in Jared Goff to lead Detroit in pursuit of a crucial victory.

The main stage of TNF will be set at Arrowhead Stadium, where the Kansas City Chiefs will host the AFC’s current No. 1 seed, the Denver Broncos. Andy Reid will be forced to fill the void left by Patrick Mahomes and Gardner Minshew, turning to Chris Oladokun under center, while the visitors will look to Bo Nix as their leading figure on the night.

Three starters sidelined by injury

This year’s NFL Christmas slate has lost a significant amount of star power due to a string of unfortunate quarterback injuries. The Kansas City Chiefs will be without Patrick Mahomes, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee during a Week 15 matchup against the Chargers; the injury required surgery and has sidelined the three-time MVP for the remainder of the year.

Similarly, the Washington Commanders have officially shut down Jayden Daniels for the season after he reaggravated a dislocated elbow that had plagued him since mid-season.

Lastly, the Minnesota Vikings’ J.J. McCarthy was ruled out specifically for the holiday game after imaging revealed a hairline fracture in his right throwing hand, an injury sustained when he struck a defender’s helmet in a previous game. These absences mean all three Christmas matchups will feature backup signal-callers, shifting the focus from elite quarterback duels to a test of roster depth.

Brian Branch tore his Achilles during his latest outing, and the safety will miss the rest of the season alongside his teammates. Despite this serious setback, the coach remains confident in the options he has to replace him.

“We’re good, man. . . . We got options here, but it’s like anything — you lose a good player, it hurts,” the head coach said during his Monday press conference. “But it’s not like we’re in dire straits.”

His natural replacement on the gridiron was Kerby Joseph, who is recovering from a knee injury, but there was also the possibility of Thomas Harper stepping into the role, although he is currently in the concussion protocol. As the days go by, Campbell will determine how to replace the safety.

Detroit’s playoff hopes

Just when it seemed all was lost, the latest victory over the Cowboys puts the Detroit Lions back in the hunt for a Wild Card spot. According to the NFL’s official site, the team currently has a 51% chance of making the playoffs ahead of Week 15.

What’s next for the Lions?

The Detroit Lions face a challenging closing stretch of the regular season that will significantly impact their playoff seeding. Their schedule features a tough road trip to face the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, December 14th. They then return home to Ford Field to host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, December 21st.

The Lions will finish their crucial December run with a Christmas Day road game against a divisional rival, the Minnesota Vikings, on Thursday, December 25th. Their final regular-season game is scheduled on the road against the Chicago Bears on Sunday, January 4th, with the game time to be determined. This sequence of games, including two road trips and a division rivalry, will be a major test of their postseason aspirations.

Safety Brian Branch, who is one of the best players on the Lions roster, has torn his Achilles. According to Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, Branch will miss the rest of the season, which is a big blow to the Lions.

Branch is a leader on defense and he will definitely be missed as the Lions are trying to enter the final stretch with hopes of getting into the playoffs. The Lions are the eighth seed right now and without Branch, it will be tougher to get into January football. That puts more pressure on Jared Goff and the offense.

Branch will leave a hole on the team’s secondary

Branch has 75 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble and also a fumble recovery in 12 games in 2025. Branch also allowed only 51.4% completion, by far the best coverage numbers in his career. It’s a brutal loss.

It’s not the only injury this team has suffered in this area of the field. Cornerback Terrion Arnold suffered a shoulder injury that is also season-ending. Other safety Kerby Joseph has been out since Week 6 as well.

The Lions have tough and easy matchups against the pass

Next week is a game against the Rams, which is one of the most high-octane, prolific passing offenses in the NFL. However, after that they face a poor passing offense like the Steelers and a very bad quarterback against the Vikings. However, they finish their season against the Chicago Bears, who have a great offense as well.

Hence, it’s two easy games vs. two tough games for the secondary. The Lions are almost in a ‘win out and you’re in‘ mode, so the fact is, those will be absolutely fierce games.

The 2025 campaign has been challenging for Detroit. The NFC North club lost both its offensive and defensive coordinators, and Goff’s unit hasn’t been able to shine the way it did in previous years.

The veteran quarterback has faced heavy pressure from opposing defenses all season. However, there finally seems to be a light at the end of the tunnel, as a crucial player is preparing to return and reinforce the offensive line.

Report: Frank Ragnow set to return to Lions after coming out of retirement

This season, the Lions’ offensive line has struggled considerably. They’ve failed to consistently protect Goff, who is now only 12 sacks away from matching his single-season record — a worrying sign for Dan Campbell and the coaching staff.

Given that Goff is not a particularly mobile quarterback, improving his protection is essential if Detroit hopes to salvage the year. Fortunately for them, help is officially on the way. Frank Ragnow is coming out of retirement to rejoin the Lions for the remainder of the season, potentially giving the team a significant boost as they push for the playoffs.

On Wednesday, Detroit posted a photo of Ragnow running out of the tunnel at Ford Field. Shortly afterward, NFL insider Ian Rapoport confirmed that the veteran center is indeed returning to the team.

His comeback arrives at the perfect moment. The Lions have struggled with pressure up the middle, and Ragnow’s presence could immediately improve Goff’s comfort and decision-making behind the line.

As of now, it is still unclear when the center will officially take the field. However, his return has the potential to shift the narrative of what has been a disappointing season for Detroit so far.

Lions’ running back coach, Tashard Choice, knows Jahmyr Gibbs is a massive star. Still, he asked Gibbs to improve on his passing blocking. After all, in Week 9 Goff was sacked five times. In Week 10, none.

Choice spoke on the matter. “Our first thing is protect the football, then protect the quarterback. Pass protection is 80 percent just want to... It’s a three-second fight most of the time. For him, the biggest thing that happened to him was when we came out of the Minnesota game because I was on his a–. Tough, had to be. I was on him. And he responded the right way, and that’s what you want from players.”

Week 10 was really Gibbs’ bounceback game

In Week 9, not only was Goff sacked, but Gibbs also had a season-low 28 yards. Week 10 was another story. Not only did he block way better, he exploded for 172 scrimmage yards and three touchdowns.

Gibbs now has 920 scrimmage yards and 10 total touchdowns in the season. Gibbs is among the elite running backs in the NFL and he clearly provides explosiveness and agility to an otherwise physical backfield.

Choice and Gibbs go way back

These two guys have known each other for a while now. Choice was Gibbs RB coach at Georgia Tech back in 2021. Hence, Choice knows what gets Gibbs going and how to bring the best out of him.

If it’s not broke, don’t fix it, right? Hence, having Choice as Gibbs coach here in Detroit is almost a guaranteed success. As Gibbs keeps improving and evolving, this coach-player duo keeps growing as one of the best in the NFL.

The Lions revealed that tight end Sam LaPorta won’t play against Philadelphia due to a back injury. LaPorta will be a very important substraction on this offense since he was coming off a very good two-game stretch.

LaPorta caught 11/13 passes in the last two weeks for 150 yards and one touchdown. He was getting into big rhythm and also being very effective every time Jared Goff looked for him.

LaPorta is a special tight end

In 2025, he has 40 catches in 49 targets for 489 yards and three touchdowns. LaPorta, who is only 24 years old, has been a menacing force ever since arriving to the team as a rookie in 2023.

He is a Pro Bowler and has 20 career touchdowns. Now, the Lions will try to replace him with Brock Wright and Ross Dwelley. Wright has nine catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns this year. As for Dwelley, he is a non-factor in this offense, as he has only one target all year for an incomplete pass.

The Lions will face a team with a big debt on offense

While the Lions will still have firepower, they face the Eagles, who are desperate on offense. The Eagles scored just 10 points last week, running back Saquon Barkley has suprassed the 100-yard mark just once, and wide receiver AJ Brown is not happy with his usage.

Hence, the Eagles will be trying to score and use their weapons. Jalen Hurts must be able to not only keep pace against the Lions, but win a possible shootout too. Otherwise, the Eagles could lose the game.

In Week 10, the Commanders and Lions battled in an intense matchup. Although there’s no historic rivalry between the two teams, emotions ran high and players on both sides refused to back down.

Defensive tackle Daron Payne was ejected from Sunday’s loss to Detroit for punching wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown. However, a newly surfaced video appears to show the Lions star also throwing a punch at Payne — an incident that went unnoticed by officials during the game.

Video: Amon-Ra St. Brown caught throwing punch at Daron Payne, but no flag was thrown

The Lions secured a crucial Week 10 victory over the Commanders, but it was far from a clean contest.

Payne’s ejection further fueled tensions between both teams. Initially, it appeared that the defensive tackle had acted unprovoked — but new footage suggests he may have been retaliating after an earlier incident.

Payne’s teammate Javon Kinlaw claimed that Payne reacted after St. Brown struck him on a previous play. The video supports that statement, clearly showing the Lions wideout throwing a punch that officials failed to notice.

Although no flag was thrown at the time, the NFL could still issue a punishment. The league routinely reviews incidents like this, and given that Payne was suspended for one game, St. Brown could face a similar penalty.

Will Amon-Ra St. Brown play in Week 11?

The Lions have a tough challenge ahead as they prepare to face another NFC East opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, in Week 11. However, they may have to do it without Amon-Ra St. Brown on the field.

If the NFL decides to suspend the wide receiver, Detroit will lose one of its most important offensive weapons. After Payne’s suspension, it’s likely that Washington will push for the same disciplinary action against St. Brown.

Offensive coordinator, John Morton, said he is planning to get wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa more involved in this week’s game against the Washington Commanders. The rookie has plenty of talent and the Lions have actually underused him.

TeSlaa has only three receptions in the NFL and two of them are touchdowns. Not only touchdowns, but very tough catches to make. The talent is really unquestionable.

TeSlaa can make the Lions an even more dangerous team

Out of Arkansas, TeSlaa was selected by the Lions in the third round, with the 70th overall pick to be exact. In 2024, he played 13 games where he had 28 receptions for 545 yards and three touchdowns.

While those may not be stellar numbers, it was the eye test that made TeSlaa one of the best prospects in the draft. Also, that’s what made him fall to the third round. Now, it’s time to deliver.

The Lions offense is still explosive

Detroit is 5-3 but has the second-most points scored per game in the 2025 NFL. The Lions have an average of 29.9 points. Imagine now that Dan Campbell and company are ready to untap on TeSlaa. Jared Goff will surely welcome another top-tier weapon.

The fact of the matter is that while the Lions score a lot, the passing offense ranks 12th on the league. To have talents like Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and now Isaac TeSlaa and not exploit them is a crime.