Jared Goff and the Lions were at home in Week 15 vs. Josh Allen and the Bills. Detroit had an 11-game win streak on the line. The Lions fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter and they were never quite able to recover. It was 21-14 at halftime but the Bills kept their pressure on in the second half.
Detroit’s offense tried to keep up but they fell short. The Lions defense let up 559 yards and 48 points vs. the Bills in Week 15. Their defense has been ravaged by injuries in 2024 and it didn’t stop on Sunday. Defensive tackle Alim McNeill suffered a torn ACL in Week 15 vs. the Bills and his season is done. No defense in the NFL has lost more players this season than the Detroit Lions.
Alim McNeill tore his ACL and is out for the rest of the 2024 season
The challenges keep coming for the #Lions defense:
— DL Alim McNeill has suffered a torn ACL, ending his season.
— CB Carlton Davis has fractured his jaw and is out 6 weeks. pic.twitter.com/qHPq1gkvPN— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) December 16, 2024
With a third-round pick in the 2021 NFL draft, Alim McNeill was selected by the Lions out of North Carolina State. Over four seasons, McNeill has played in 61 games and has made 50 starts. The 24-year-old has started every game he’s played in since the 2022 season. In 2024, the Lions have had their defense ravaged by injuries. Alim McNeill was the latest casualty. The fourth-year pro suffered a torn ACL in Week 15 and he is out for the rest of the year.
McNeill had started all 14 games for Detroit this season before suffering a torn ACL. Along with McNeill in Week 15, CB Carlton Davis suffered a broken jaw. He needs surgery and is out for six weeks. Twelve players including Alim McNeil are now on the IR or their season is over for the Lions in 2024. That list includes Aidan Hutchinson, Marcus Davenport, John Cominsky, Alex Anzalone, Malcolm Rodriguez, Derrick Barnes, Jalen Reeves-Mabin, Carlton Davis, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Emmanuel Mosely, and Ifeatu Melifonwu. The Lions could make a starting defensive unit with all the injured defensive players on their roster in 2024. Not ideal for the Lions as the postseason approaches. Even with a loss in Week 15, the Lions still own the tiebreaker with the Eagles for the #1 seed in the NFC.
