Lions tight end Sam LaPorta suffered a knee injury in the second quarter of today’s game against the Vikings.
LaPorta caught a pass and his leg bent awkwardly under him as he was being tackled. He walked off the field gingerly and was carted to the locker room. The Lions initially announced that he wa questionable to return with a knee injury, but then ruled him out for the rest of the game.
If LaPorta is lost for the playoffs, it would be a major blow to the Lions. He has emerged as one of the best tight ends in the NFL this season, and has had one of the best rookie seasons for a tight end in NFL history.
Lions coach Dan Campbell decided to play all his starters today even though the Lions are likely to be the NFC No. 3 seed regardless of whether they win or lose. That could prove to be a costly decision.