Packers-Lions Injury Report: Davante Adams Out But Corey Linsley Back After ‘Fluke’ Concussion

The Packers won't have star receiver Davante Adams for a second consecutive week but quarterback Aaron Rodgers and center Corey Linsley are good to go.

Author:
Bill Huber
Publish date:
Oct 12, 2019 4:36 PM EDT

Green Bay Packers receiver Davante Adams will not play in Monday night’s game against the Detroit Lions.

Coach Matt LaFleur, who’s usually tight-lipped regarding injury information, ruled out his Pro Bowl receiver following Saturday’s practice.

The announcement wasn’t a surprise. Adams all but ruled himself out on Thursday because of the turf-toe injury sustained in the fourth quarter against Philadelphia on Sept. 26.

“It is a major injury, so it’s something that we’ve got to pay attention to and make sure we monitor in the correct way to make sure it’s not something that gets re-aggravated later on in the season or I come back a little too early and really mess the thing up,” Adams said. “We’re just really trying to pace it at this point. I can’t really tell you when I’m going to play. It doesn’t feel how I want it to feel at the moment, but we definitely have time.”

Time is up, so the Packers will roll out a depleted receiver corps for a second consecutive week. In last week’s 34-24 victory over Dallas, quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed only 4-of-12 passes to receivers. Lions coach Matt Patricia could lean on his three cornerbacks – Pro Bowler Darius Slay and free-agent additions Justin Coleman and Rashaan Melvin – to cover Green Bay’s receivers and focus on stopping running back Aaron Jones. It was Jones, with 182 total yards and four touchdown runs, who was the star in the upset of the Cowboys.

“I think that’s something we’ve always considered,” LaFleur said. “They do such a great job of game-planning and like, you said, taking your best players away, so we’re ready for that.”

If that’s the Lions’ plan, offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett said his perimeter players will have to win their one-on-one battles. That wasn’t a big deal last week because of Jones’ big day, but the focus could be different on Monday.

“I think that we were running the ball really well, so passing wasn’t really a priority,” said Green Bay’s top remaining receiver, Marquez Valdes-Scantling. “They did a good job up front of running the ball, and we did a good job on the perimeter blocking. That’s what our go-to was. Every game’s different. You just never know what’s going to happen. There’s some games where we might throw for 400 yards, and there’s some games where we might throw for 200 yards. As long as we get the ‘W,’ that’s all that matters.”

The Packers will regain the services of center Corey Linsley, who missed most of last week’s game with a concussion. He practiced all week and has been cleared from the concussion protocol.

Video: Linsley says he is ready to go.

“Honestly, it was just like a hit,” Linsley said. “I think everybody’s got their bell rung. I went back in – it was on the second drive, the touchdown – and it wasn’t a big hit at all. I got my bell rung. We saw it happen. Red [Batty, the team’s equipment manager] said my chinstrap broke, so that could have played into it, just how my helmet wasn’t on correctly. Regardless, I went in the next drive and I couldn’t focus and I was starting to get light sensitivity and I also got nauseous. I really never get nauseous during games, so that kind of freaked me out. I went in there and the headache started pounding. It was kind of a freak thing.”

Linsley’s return will be key against the Lions, with Damon Harrison and A’Shawn Robinson forming one of the better run-stopping defensive tackle tandems in the league.

Before the injury, Linsley had played an astounding 2,768 consecutive snaps. Well, astounding to everyone but Linsley.

“I don’t care. Honestly, that was cool, but it wasn’t like – it didn’t make a difference to me,” Linsley said. “Especially if something heartbreaking happened or whatever, I would’ve been sad but I needed to do what I needed to do, and it happened. So, whatever. It’s cool. I’m more focused on this week to week.”

Along with Adams, safety Darnell Savage and tight end Robert Tonyan were the only players to not practice on Saturday. All three are out. Of the 20 players listed on the injury report, 16 were removed - including quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee).

For the Lions, former Packers defensive tackle Mike Daniels is out. Six players were listed as questionable but they all practiced on Saturday.

PACKERS INJURY REPORT

Out: WR Davante Adams (toe), S Darnell Savage (ankle), TE Robert Tonyan (hip).

Doubtful: CB Tony Brown (hamstring).

LIONS INJURY REPORT

Out: DT Mike Daniels (foot), CB Amani Oruwariye (knee).

Questionable: WR Danny Amendola (chest), DB Quandre Diggs (hamstring), DT Da'Shawn Hand (elbow), TE T.J. Hockenson (concussion), DT A'Shawn Robinson (knee), CB Darius Slay (hamstring).