In the Week 17 matchup between the Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers, right tackle Penei Sewell was seen leaving the locker room early just before the first half concluded, a sign that he was battling with an injury. Head coach Dan Campbell told the reporters that Sewell is battling a thumb injury following the Lions’ thrilling 40-34 victory over the 49ers on Monday night.
Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to be a significant problem because when asked about Sewell’s condition following the game, Campbell didn’t seem worried about it.
Since the Minnesota Vikings defeated the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, setting up a winner-take-all matchup in Week 18, the Lions had the choice of resting their starters for the game against the Niners. Campbell would never have heard the ( of it if Sewell had suffered severe injuries. He continued by outlining his reasoning for starting his starters in the pointless match.
Colton Pouncy of The Athletic stated that following the Vikings’ victory, “Campbell stated he considered benching his starters.” “Said that since the starters practiced all week, it wouldn’t have been fair to ask reserves who weren’t ready to play to play. Additionally, some starters would still have played because you can’t bench everyone. Sewell’s ability to complete the game indicates that he will be alright, but it will be important to keep an eye on his condition throughout the week. One thing we do know about Sewell, though, is that it will take a lot to prevent him from playing, even if his ailment miraculously worsens.
The Lions will now have a few days to recuperate before Sunday, January 5, when they take on the Vikings for the NFC North championship and the conference’s top seed. The game is set to begin at 8:20 p.m. ET.