ALLEN PARK, Mich. – Detroit Lions edge rusher James Houston said he plans to play in Sunday’s NFC divisional-round playoff game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field. But we now must wait to learn whether that’s the coaching staff’s plan, too.
Houston suffered a broken ankle in the team’s Week 2 loss against Seattle and was designated for return from injured reserve on Thursday, Dec. 28 before the team traveled to Dallas in Week 17. His three-week acclimation window ends this week, meaning the Lions will have to decide by Thursday whether to activate the second-year rusher or put him back on season-ending injured reserve. “Yeah, that’s my plan, at least,” Houston said when asked if he could play vs. Tampa.
“My window ends this week, so, yeah.” Houston suffered the fibula fracture while covering a kickoff against the Seahawks. He had surgery to stabilize the break, resulting in one plate, two tight ropes (braided cords which stabilize the fibula) and four screws being point into his ankle.
Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn say that to get back in the lineup, all Houston had to do was “go out and practice and see how effective you can be. If you’re effective, then we’ll put you in there and let you play.” There was some speculation that Houston would be able to play against the Los Angeles Rams, but he was ruled out on the week’s final injury report.
Asked if he could have played on Sunday, he said that’s a question best left for coaches, but said he’s continuing to feel better every day and delivered a reminder that he’s not dealing with a “typical injury.” “Every day it feels much better. This is not a typical injury you want to really just come right back on,” Houston said.
“You really want to have more time off, but every day it feels better.” Houston, a sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, is no stranger to acclimating midseason. He made his NFL debut last season in Week 12 against the Buffalo Bills and then went on to have one of the most productive rookie seasons ever, tallying eight sacks in seven appearances.
But being there in-person for Sunday’s playoff win reframed his perspective on what it’s like to come back in the playoffs the regular season. “I definitely saw that last week, even in our preparation, but especially just during the game, just how important every series, every play is,” Houston said.
“It’s a lot and you want to be on point. You don’t want to be the reason why your team fails or why something breaks down.” There was one benefit to not being able to play against Los Angeles. Houston said when he’s out on the field, he hardly ever pays attention to the crowd. But being sidelined for Sunday’s win over the Rams simply gave him one of the best views in the house.
“It was really electric. That was really crazy, I ain’t gonna lie. Just seeing it, it was just like, ‘Wow, this is playoff football in the NFL,'” Houston said.
