Amon-Ra St. Brown’s Early Exit Shakes Up Lions’ Thanksgiving Game
So here’s what unfolded during the Lions’ Thanksgiving matchup against the Packers — and it happened fast. Amon-Ra St. Brown, one of Detroit’s most dependable offensive stars, was forced out of the game after suffering an ankle injury early in the first quarter. It was one of those moments where the entire stadium seemed to pause for a second because everyone knew how important he is to the Lions’ offense.
The injury occurred on just the second drive of the game. St. Brown was blocking on a run play when two Lions linemen were pushed backward, rolling into his legs. He immediately went down, and you could tell from the reaction of teammates that it wasn’t a simple knock. Trainers rushed over, and he stayed on the turf for a couple of minutes as they evaluated him. Even though he eventually got up and walked off the field under his own power — no cart, no assistance — he headed straight to the locker room. That alone was enough to raise concern.
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At first, he was listed as questionable to return, which gave fans a tiny bit of hope. But by the third quarter, the update everyone had been dreading was made official: St. Brown was ruled out for the rest of the game. Losing him on a normal week would be tough, but losing him on Thanksgiving, against the rival Packers, and with Detroit already missing key offensive players, made it even tougher.
Coming into this matchup, St. Brown had been putting up another standout season: 75 catches, 884 yards, and nine touchdowns in just 11 games. He’s the clear WR1, the guy Jared Goff looks to when the offense needs a spark. And with tight end Sam LaPorta already on injured reserve and Kalif Raymond sidelined with an ankle injury, the Lions suddenly found themselves incredibly thin at the pass-catching positions.
Dan Campbell had no choice but to turn to the next men up — Jameson Williams, Tom Kennedy, and the rookies Isaac TeSlaa and Dominic Lovett — to carry the load. Williams immediately became the primary target, while the others were pushed into bigger roles than usual.
To make things even more chaotic, both teams were dealing with injuries across the board. Detroit did get some help back on defense with Terrion Arnold returning from a concussion and Marcus Davenport making his first appearance since Week 1. Meanwhile, the Packers regained cornerback Keisean Nixon but lost several offensive pieces of their own.
Still, the headline remained the same: St. Brown’s absence changed the entire rhythm of the game. When one of the Lions’ most reliable playmakers is suddenly gone, the whole identity of the offense has to shift on the fly — and that’s exactly what Detroit was forced to deal with on this Thanksgiving afternoon.
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