Edge-rusher Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending injury could have huge ramifications on the Detroit Lions’ Super Bowl aspirations.
In Sunday’s 47-9 road win over the Dallas Cowboys, Hutchinson suffered a broken left tibia/fibula in the third quarter and immediately underwent surgery. On Monday, Lions head coach Dan Campbell told the media his recovery will take “four to six months.”
“Hutchinson’s season-ending broken leg dealt an emotional blow,” wrote The Athletic’s Mike Sando in his Monday column. “Longer term, his absence could make the difference between reaching the Super Bowl or falling short.”
Hutchinson logged 7.5 sacks in five games, the most in the NFL. No other Lion has three or more through Detroit’s first five games.
During a Monday episode of ESPN’s “NFL Live,” analyst Marcus Spears, a former Cowboys defensive lineman, said he’s concerned about whether the Lions pass-rush will step up in the playoffs.
“Now you don’t have anybody on that defensive line where an [offensive coordinator] is coming in and saying, ‘We got to game plan for this guy,'” Spears said.