Two Lions Fined, No Chiefs
Two Detroit Lions received fines in the team's Week 6 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.
Linebacker Alex Anzalone and defensive tackle Tyler Lacy were both fined for Striking/Kicking/Tripping/Kneeing by the NFL. Anzalone was fined $12,172, while Lacy was fined $5,722. No Chiefs were fined after Sunday's game.
The Lions will be without safety Brian Branch in Monday's game, as he was suspended for his role in a postgame scuffle with Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster.
After being blocked in the back late in Sunday's game, Branch approached Chiefs wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster and threw an open-handed punch to set off the scrum. Smith-Schuster emerged from the pile with blood on his nose, and both Branch and Lions head coach Dan Campbell issued apologies after the game.
With the Lions' bye week set for next week, Branch will be set to return to action in Week 9 against the Minnesota Vikings.
Plenty of fanfare has ensued from the incident, with Branch being in a spotlight as the result of his actions. With an NFL video being critical of the defender and numerous comments from analysts across the league, the Lions have united around him.
Campbell noted that the team has defender Branch as their teammate, and situations such as this one could be an avenue for the group to come even closer together.
"That's what our guys are about, man. We overcome adversity, and listen that's their brother. If you're gonna attack their brother, that's what they're gonna do," Campbell said. "We've got a tight-knit group, and (I've) already mentioned this, B.B.'s a good dude. He's paying for what happened, and he'll be back ready to go for Minnesota."
Speaking earlier in the week, Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard defended Branch as well. He noted that the incident doesn't have to define the third-year safety, but will be a learning opportunity.
"Outside of the field, I mean the most soft-spoken guy you’ll ever meet, the most respectable guy you’ll ever meet," Sheppard said. "But those 30 seconds in that spotlight could change how people view you and how people see you. So just always remember that in this profession, in life, one wrong decision could now peg you as a person that you’re nowhere near to being. So, I think he understands that more than anybody right now and he’ll learn and grow from that situation.”
With Branch out and Kerby Joseph's status uncertain, the Lions could rely on Thomas Harper and newly signed Jammie Robinson to contribute in the secondary.
Packers Make Telling RB Move Amid Josh Jacobs Injury Concerns
The Green Bay Packers are beefing up the running backs room before they travel to play the Arizona Cardinals in the desert on Sunday, October 19.
Starter Josh Jacobs was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday and Thursday with an illness and a calf injury. He returned as a full participant on Friday, though remained questionable for the team’s Week 7 game as of Saturday.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported on Saturday how Green Bay is guarding against Jacobs’ potential lack of availability, or lack of full capability, against the Cardinals.
“Packers elevated RB Pierre Strong Jr. from their practice squad to the active roster for Sunday’s game at Arizona,” Schefter posted to X. “Packers CB Keisean Nixon also has been added to the injury report and is questionable for Sunday’s game due to illness.”
Pierre Strong Jr. Has Proven Himself Sturdy Reserve Running Back Across 3 NFL Seasons
Strong spent the last two years with the Cleveland Browns after coming into the NFL as a member of the New England Patriots.
Over the course of his career, Strong has tallied 99 carries for 499 rushing yards (5.0 yards per attempt) and two TDs. He has also netted 26 receptions for 193 receiving yards and returned 24 kickoffs during his time in the league.
Strong has appeared in 46 games, though he has just one start.
Meanwhile, Jacobs has struggled in 2025 compared to the Pro Bowl campaign he produced last season. Jacobs has played in all five games this year, rushing for 359 yards across 98 carries (3.7 yards per haul), though he has found the end zone six times on the ground. He has also caught 15 passes for 176 yards.
Packers Dealing With Long List of Injured Players Who Are Questionable Against the Cardinals
(Photo by Steph Chambers/Getty Images)Offensive tackle Zach Tom of the Green Bay Packers in action against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field during an NFL game in 2024.
Green Bay’s injury report is disturbingly long, though only a few key players are guaranteed to sit against Arizona.
Edge rusher Lukas Van Ness and defensive lineman Devonte Wyatt will both miss Sunday’s game due to foot and knee injuries, respectively, per the team’s official injury report. Wide receiver Christian Watson also remains sidelined due to a knee injury he suffered in January.
Tackle Anthony Belton (ankle), cornerback Nate Hobbs (knee), kicker Brandon McManus (right quadricep), offensive lineman Jacob Monk (hamstring), right tackle Zach Tom (oblique, back) and wide receiver Dontayvion Wicks (ankle) were all questionable to play against the Cardinals as of Saturday.
Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray is also questionable to play in the game due to a foot injury that left him a limited participant in practice all week. Thus, Green Bay opened as 6.5-point road favorites, even despite all of the team’s injury uncertainty.
That line has since moved to 7.5 points, per ESPN BET, indicating that new factors have arisen making the Cardinals even less likely to win and/or significant money has come in on the Packers.
