Quarterback Matthew Stafford, who was listed as questionable coming into today's regular-season finale vs. the Vikings with thumb, rib and ankle injuries, is active today for the Lions.
Stafford injured his right ankle on the first possession of last week's loss to Tampa Bay. He left the game and never returned. Stafford sat out practice Wednesday, but returned Thursday and Friday in limited fashion and is good to go today. He needs 209 yards to record his eighth 4,000-yard passing season.
Detroit will also have starting center Frank Ragnow back after he missed the last two games with a throat injury that affected his vocal cords. Ragnow just started talking again this week. It will be interesting to see if he's able to handle some of the line calls, or if that will fall on Stafford.
Detroit's offense will be without wide receiver Kenny Golladay (hip), swing tackle Tyrell Crosby (ankle) and offensive lineman Joe Dahl (back). All three were ruled out Friday. Rookie guard Logan Stenberg is a healthy scratch.
Defensively, the Lions will play another game without their leading tackler, linebacker Jamie Collins Sr. He'll miss his second straight contest due to a neck injury. Expect to see more of Jahlani Tavai and Jarrad Davis at linebacker again today for Detroit.
Veteran defensive tackle Danny Shelton was activated from IR on Saturday and will play. That could help boost a Lions run defense ranked 28th in the NFL, and facing a Vikings offense ranked sixth in the league running the football. The Vikings will be without Pro Bowl running back Dalvin Cook, who is inactive today.
Joining Golladay, Crosby, Dahl, Stenberg and Collins on Detroit's inactive list today are: Safety Bobby Price and defensive tackle Albert Huggins.
