After three days of practice, the Detroit Lions decided to do without Zach Ertz for Sunday’s NFC championship game.
Ertz was not one of the two players the Lions elevated from the practice squad to the gameday roster Saturday, making him ineligible to play Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Lions signed Ertz to their practice squad Wednesday to bolster a tight end room left shorthanded by injury. Brock Wright suffered a forearm injury in last week’s win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and will miss the remainder of the season, and the Lions placed James Mitchell on injured reserve following hand surgery earlier this month.
Sam LaPorta, who continues to place with a support brace on the knee he hyperextended in the Lions’ Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings, and Anthony Firkser are the team’s only healthy tight ends.
LIONS VS. 49ERS: NFC championship game scouting report, prediction
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday he wasn’t sure what Ertz’s role would be this weekend, and Ertz said he had no expectation of playing but was confident he would “get up to speed quickly from a mental standpoint” if needed.
The Lions elevated fullback Jason Cabinda and offensive lineman Michael Schofield to their gameday roster Saturday. Cabinda can play as a third tight end and contributes on special teams, while Schofield adds depth to an offensive line that will be without starting left guard Jonah Jackson because of a knee injury.
“He’s picked it up extremely fast, he really has,” Lions quarterback Jared Goff said Friday of Ertz. “And really impressive, not that you didn’t expect that from a guy like him who’s been around for so long. And I’ve known him here and there throughout the years and just hearing about how smart he is and how well he can pick up things, he’s done it really well this week.”
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Ertz, who has 709 catches in his 11-year career, still could make his Lions debut in two weeks — if the Lions beat the 49ers on Sunday to advance to the Super Bowl for the first time in franchise history.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
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This Labor Day weekend’s weather will be splendid in Metro Detroit.
The weather will be ideal for hanging out at the Romeo Peach Festival, Soaring Eagle Arts, Beats & Eats in Royal Oak, the Detroit Jazz Festival in Hart Plaza and Cadillac Square, parades, and any other events.
Skies will be mostly clear Saturday night with lows around 60 degrees in Southeast Michigan. Winds will be around 5 mph.
Sunday will be a fun day for going to the park or beach, grilling, or simply relaxing on the patio. A cold front will move through the area and reinforce the cool, dry air on the first day of meteorological fall in the Northern Hemisphere. (The first day of astrological fall is September 22.)
Skies will be mostly sunny on Sunday morning, but clouds will increase in the afternoon. Under a mix of sunshine and clouds, highs will be in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees in Detroit, Adrian, Monroe, Dearborn, and Warren. Temperatures will top out in the mid 70s in Ann Arbor, Howell, Flint, Troy, and Macomb Township. It will be in the lower 70s in much of the Thumb. Expect a northwesterly breeze from 10 to 15 mph with gusts up to 20 mph.
Sunday night, we will be able to open the windows and get crisp air. Under partly cloudy skies, lows will be in the mid 50s.
The cooldown will continue into Labor Day. Monday will be mostly sunny as a high-pressure system centers itself over the state. Highs will only be in the lower 70s. The average high for Labor Day is 79 degrees. Light winds will be out of the north at 5 to 10 mph.
Monday night will be great weather for a bonfire. Skies will be mostly clear with lows in the upper 40s and lower 50s.
A dry stretch will last for several days, but temperatures will gradually rise back to normal.
Highs will be in the mid 70s on Tuesday and near 80 degrees on Wednesday. Both days will bring lots of sunshine.
Thursday will warm into the lower 80s with partly cloudy skies. The chance of showers will return at night.
The chance of showers will continue Friday, and there will be a lower chance on Saturday. Temperatures will drop sharply into next weekend. Highs will only be in the 60s on Saturday in many Southeast Michigan communities.
With mostly sunny skies, temperatures will warm back to around normal by midweek.
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The Detroit Lions’ initial 16-man practice squad has been settled. While the group will undoubtedly change throughout the season, many of the players in that group will likely stick around for the entire season.
Every week, the Lions are allowed to elevate two players from the practice squad and make them part of their gameday roster. Practice squad players are often eventually signed to the 53-man roster, as well.
Given the strength and experience of several players on the practice squad, it seems inevitable that a few players of the current 16 will end up making a difference on Sunday. That’s why general manager Brad Holmes and coach Dan Campbell continue to call it the 69-man roster (53+16). They’re all important.
So today’s Question of the Day is:
My answer: Well, first take a look at the Lions’ practice squad with Erik Schlitt’s fantastic breakdown of each player.
Early in the season, the answer will undoubtedly be Kyle Peko. With Brodric Martin on injured reserve and DJ Reader’s Week 1 status still very much up in the air, Peko is currently in line to be the starting nose tackle—as he has been in training camp for the past month. It wouldn’t be surprising to see him make it on the 53-man roster after Week 1 (the Lions are likely waiting because the salaries of veteran players become guaranteed if they’re on the Week 1 53-man roster).
But he’s the easy answer. Let’s dig a little deeper beyond Peko.
The Lions’ WR-X position remains essentially unfilled among their 53-man roster. Yes, the Lions are likely to play Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Kalif Raymond when they go three wide, but none of those players possess exactly what they’re looking for in the position.
Detroit will continue that WR-X position battle with three practice squadders: Donovan Peoples-Jones, Tim Patrick, and Allen Robinson. Peoples-Jones likely has the early advantage simply for being with the team since late October. However, I think Patrick eventually wins that job and gets added to the 53-man roster. If you need any convincing, check out our 6 Questions with Mile High Report on Patrick’s career.
Who else on the practice squad will have an impact in 2024? Scroll down to the comment section and let us know your thoughts!
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The following scores are collected from either the Michigan High School Athletic Association or the Associated Press. These are scores from Friday, Aug. 30 for Week 1 of the football season.
Metro Detorit football scores from Thursday night of Week 1
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