By Blessing 
The Detroit Lions have dealt with injuries all season, especially in the secondary, where the defense has struggled to stay healthy. But on Saturday, November 22, the team finally received some encouraging news. Detroit activated cornerbacks D.J. Reed and Khalil Dorsey ahead of their Week 12 game against the New York Giants, giving the defense a much-needed lift. Reed had been on injured reserve since Week 4 with a hamstring issue, while Dorsey landed on IR around the same time because of a wrist injury.
Their return comes at a crucial moment for the Lions. Terrion Arnold, another starting cornerback who previously missed time in October with a shoulder injury, is out again — this time due to a concussion. Safety Kerby Joseph is also unavailable because of a knee injury after missing the entire week of practice. With Arnold sidelined, Reed and Dorsey are expected to handle the starting outside corner roles on Sunday.
Detroit made additional roster adjustments to make room for both players. The Lions waived linebacker Ty Summers and defensive back Erick Hallett, while tight end Anthony Firkser was moved up from the practice squad to replace Sam LaPorta, who may be out for the season following a serious injury.
Despite holding a 6-4 record, the Lions have struggled to find any rhythm over the last five weeks, alternating wins and losses to form a 2-3 stretch. Part of the inconsistency has come from injuries, while a tougher slate of opponents has also played a role. Detroit opened that five-game window with a road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs and closed it with another defeat on the road to the Philadelphia Eagles — the two teams that met in the most recent Super Bowl back in January.
Head coach Dan Campbell has tried to spark improvement, taking over offensive play-calling duties two weeks ago. The move produced immediate results in a dominant 44-22 win over the Washington Commanders, though the momentum didn’t carry over into the following matchup, where Detroit managed just nine points in a loss to the Eagles.
Looking ahead to Sunday, there is still optimism. Oddsmakers at DraftKings Sportsbook have Detroit tied with the Baltimore Ravens as the biggest favorites of Week 12, listing them at 13.5-point favorites against the Giants. New York will be starting backup quarterback Jameis Winston with rookie Jaxson Dart injured.
Winston is known as a gunslinger with the ability to launch deep passes, but his aggressive style comes with risks. Throughout his career — including 106 appearances and 88 starts — he has tallied 154 touchdowns and 112 interceptions. He finished last week’s game completing 19 of 29 attempts for 201 yards and a pick in a loss to the Packers.
The timely returns of Reed and Dorsey give Detroit a better chance of containing Winston and a Giants team undergoing transition after a mid-season coaching change.