During his Monday press conference, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell provided some injury updates, noting that there were three major injuries suffered against the Seattle Seahawks: a fibula injury to James Houston, a knee injury to guard Halapoulivaati Vaitai, and a thigh injury to running back David Montgomery.
Campbell effectively verified Houston’s broken ankle, referring to it as a “fibula” injury. According to NFL Network, Houston will be out for six to eight weeks while he considers his options, which may include surgery. Campbell said Vaitai, the Lions’ starting right guard, will be out for a while.
“Big V could be out for a little bit, we’ll know a lot more really in the next couple of days here,” Campbell said.
The good news is that when asked if Vaitai would be placed on injured reserve—meaning Vaitai would miss at least four weeks—Campbell seemed optimistic that the veteran offensive lineman would avoid it.
“I don’t think so. I don’t think so, but we’re just going to have to see how it responds,” Campbell said.
The most optimistic update from Campbell was on Montgomery.
“He’s kind of a little bit in the boat of day-to-day,” Campbell said.
Montgomery himself suggested in the locker room after the game that he could be out for a couple of weeks, according to Dave Birkett of the Detroit Free Press.
Having said that, Campbell emphasised Montgomery’s importance to the team.
“Take away the fumble, and, golly, I thought he played outstanding,” he remarked. “He’s a very versatile back.” He’s a firecracker. You mention dependability? He’s highly dependable. But it’s only that blunder leaves a sour taste in your mouth, which we’ll remove. He, too, will. He takes everything personally. But he’s been a huge help to us. He’s an important part of who we are and what we have offensively. He truly is.”
As for what the Lions will do if Montgomery misses time, Campbell said they would rely more on rookie running back Jahmyr Gibbs, but it will remain a running back by committee in Detroit.
“I still see it being by committee if D-Mo can’t go, but certainly Gibbs is going to get more opportunities,” Campbell said. “He got a little bit more (on Sunday) and there’s some plays he made, and there’s a lot he left out. Some of that is part of being a rookie. He’ll get better from those the more exposure he gets. We need him to grow and he will.”
Finally, Campbell gave a bit of a vague update on left tackle Taylor Decker, who missed Sunday’s game with an ankle injury.
“He’s improving, but there again we’ll know a lot more over the next couple of days,” Campbell said. “He’s gotten better and better every day. It’s just a matter of can he get back in time for this one, and then we’re going into a short week after that in Green Bay.”
The Lions played their first regular-season game at Ford Field, which received new turf this offseason. The Lions switched from slit-film turf, which the NFLPA expressly pointed out as hazardous, to CORE monofilament turf.
Campbell dismissed the possibility that the turf played a role in the Lions’ injury situation this week.
“I don’t believe that,” Campbell responded. “You guys are well-versed in injuries. You can go and everything is OK and you come out relatively unscathed, and then all of a sudden, man, they come on and you get the virus, and we just had a rash of them yesterday. So that’s kind of the seasonal ebb and flow.”
