LANSING, Mich. (WILX) – The Detroit Lions have put perhaps their best defensive lineman on injured reserve. Alim McNeill was injured in this past Sunday’s 33-28 win at New Orleans over the Saints.
The Lions hope he might be available during the playoffs should they make the field. The Lions play the Bears in Chicago at 1pm Sunday.
The first game at Ford Field saw the Bears blow a 26-14 lead in the final four minutes and lose 31-26. The Lions have a 9-3 season record.
It didn’t take long for Bruce Irvin to inject some life into the Detroit Lions’ beleaguered pass rush.
On one of the first plays of his Lions debut in Week 13 against the New Orleans Saints, the 36-year-old pass rusher got around the left edge of the offensive line and pulled down Saints quarterback Derek Carr for a sack on third down, forcing a punt.
Irvin used a stutter step and a two-hand chop to get free around the right edge before pouncing on Carr’s back.
It resulted in the third straight empty possession from New Orleans to start the game with the defense getting off to a red-hot start.
Brian Branch intercepted Carr on the Saints’ first offensive play of the game, leading to a Lions touchdown, and then they punted on the next two possessions. The Lions led 21-0 in the first quarter at the time of the sack.
The Lions signed Irvin midseason to add some life to their pass rush, which ranked near the bottom of the league entering the week.
They ranked 26th in the NFL in sack percentage and have gotten little production from their edge rushers outside of Aidan Hutchinson (5.5 sacks). Julian Okwara, Charles Harris, Romeo Okwara, John Cominsky and Josh Paschal have a combined 4.5 sacks this season.
