What Detroit's injured reserve list looks like against other Super Bowl contenders
Allen Park — OK, you know about the Detroit Lions’ injury situation, but every team in football battles injuries to some degree, right?
Part of any great season is overcoming adversity. With that in mind, let’s take a look at the injured list for the other top-six Super Bowl contenders. Warning, the contrast between those teams and the Lions’ issues is more jarring than imagined.
Buffalo Bills (+400)
Players on injured reserve: QB Shane Buechele, OT Travis Clayton, OT Tommy Doyle
Players who have returned off IR: LB Matt Milano (Week 13), DT DeWayne Carter (Week 14), DE Dawuane Smoot (Week 15), LB Baylon Spector (Week 15)
Analysis: The Bills are in remarkably good shape. They’re only down a third-string QB who has never played a snap in the NFL, a late-round rookie in Clayton, plus Doyle, a backup o-lineman who hasn’t seen regular-season action since 2022.
Surviving two years of injuries with Milano, a first-team All-Pro in 2022, has been more taxing. He was limited to five games by a broken leg last season and has only appeared in the past three this year after tearing his bicep.