The Detroit Lions will be without three key contributors as they host the undefeated Philadelphia Eagles at Ford Field Sunday.
Defensive end Ziggy Ansah (ankle), linebacker DeAndre Levy (quad/knee) and tight end Eric Ebron (ankle) are inactive and will not play.
"I'm sure he'll be back as soon as the doctors say he's ready to be back," Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said this week of Levy, who hasn't played since Week 1.
"I don't see any lack of desire to play, to do any of those things. He's the same DeAndre that since we've been here, that I've known. I know he's a stand-up guy, hardworking guy, going to do everything in his power to get back as soon as he can."
Ansah, the NFC's leader in sacks last season, hasn't played since injuring his ankle on the third play of Detroit's Week 2 loss to Tennessee.
Expect Kerry Hyder to continue to fill in for Ansah. Hyder's five sacks through the first quarter of the season rank third in the NFL.
Ebron will miss his first game of the season after injuring his ankle last week in Chicago. Ebron is third on the team with 18 catches and second with 210 receiving yards. Cole Wick, Khari Lee and Clay Harbor will have to step up and fill the void at tight end.
The Lions will also be without backup running back Dwayne Washington, who left last week's game with an ankle injury. Second-year running back Zach Zenner steps into the No. 2 role this week behind starter Theo Riddick.
The Lions are hoping Zenner can provide a spark to a run game that's averaged just 2.8 yards per rush the last two games.
"He came in, did a nice job last week playing a little bit, really productive player since he's been here," Lions offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said of Zenner.
"Does everything the right way, really works hard to do things the right way, kind of puts the ball where we would like it to go and reads the things pretty well. I'm excited to see him go."
It's not all bad for Detroit in terms of the inactives report.
Starting strong safety Tavon Wilson is back in the lineup after missing last week's game with a neck injury.
Joining Ansah, Levy, Ebron and Washington on Detroit's inactive list Sunday are: offensive lineman Joe Dahl, tackle Cornelius Lucas and defensive tackle Stefan Charles.
