Detroit Lions Weblog

Damien Woody Placed on Injured Reserve, WR DeVale Ellis Returns

In what may be regarded as the worst news for the Lions yet this season, it was announced that former Pro Bowl Right Guard Damien Woody was placed on injured reserve yesterday, which means he will not return for the rest of the season. Woody, who has never regained his former Pro Bowl caliber of talent since joining Detroit, is a valuable member of a weak and getting weaker Lions O-Line. As you know, the Lions have also had the misfortune of having their two free agent O-Line acquisitions, Left Guard Ross Verba and Right Tackle Rex Tucker, injured for most of the season and both will definitely not play against Buffalo. The Lions have an incredible depth issue now in their line rotation, which clearly was a major contributing factor to their loss to the Vikings on Sunday.

It is well-reported that the Lions struggled in communicating their blocking assignments and blitz-pickups after Woody and Left Tackle Jeff Backus each left the game. The Lions will now have to rely upon rookie Jonathan Scott, journeyman Blaine Saipia, and inconsistent Rick DeMulling to take up the slack. Two realities are immediately obvious, Jon Kitna better purchase a life insurance policy and with the obvious difficulties their are in acquiring quality free agent offensive lineman who can be quickly integrated into your playing rotation at this time of the season, the Lions can afford no more injuries to offensive linemen.

WR DeVale Ellis has been signed from the Lions practice squad to fill Woody’s roster spot, which is puzzling since the team has such serious depth issues in their O-Line. I hate to do it, but Matt Millen is deserving of more criticism here. By acquiring several veteran offensive linemen as free agents this off-season who had checkered injury history’s, Matt Millen was taking a serious risk that has backfired severely. This risk is yet another of a VERY long list of reasons that Matt Millen should no longer be retained after this season as team president.