Dan Campbell’s Detroit Lions are used to adversity. But this week, the head coach is balancing discipline issues with critical roster decisions. The Lions blew several assignments and gained a mere 3.8 yards per play against the Packers, their lowest average since Week 6 in 2021. The 27-13 defeat at Green Bay highlighted how expensive breakdowns in discipline and plays on offense can be. Campbell, who has always emphasized accountability and toughness, is tasked with the double challenge of keeping his locker room focused while dealing with injuries.

The NFL announced on Saturday that Lions safety Brian Branch was fined twice for two separate infractions on the same play during last Sunday’s defeat to the Green Bay Packers. Branch was fined $11,593 for taunting and another $11,593 for unnecessary roughness (facemasking), totaling $23,186 in fines. Both fines were issued after a tussle with Packers tight end Tucker Kraft at the end of the first quarter.

League officials indicated that Branch’s fines are in the collectively bargained fine schedule between the NFL and the NFL Players Association (NFLPA). The schedule is read to all players before the season. And appeals are heard from retired NFL players who act as independent officers. The NFL reiterated its commitment to “protecting players from unnecessary risk and preserving competitive balance and game integrity” through uniform application of its rules of conduct on the field.

The play was at the end of the first quarter when Branch hit Kraft on the sideline. When the confrontation went up a notch after the whistle, Branch ripped off Kraft’s facemask, took off his helmet, and tossed it down the Lions’ sideline. Officials promptly penalized Branch for unsportsmanlike conduct and assessed a 15-yard penalty that moved the Packers closer to the end zone. Brian Branch has accumulated $118,391 in fines since he joined the league in 2023.

Branch was not the only Lions player penalized in Week 1. Wide receiver Jameson Williams was also penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct in the second quarter and was fined $11,593 for taunting. According to the NFL-NFLPA agreement, fines collected from on-field infractions are donated to the Professional Athletes Foundation, to support legends in financial need, and the NFL Foundation to support the health, safety, and wellness of athletes across different.

Meanwhile, Dan Campbell is performing a juggling act with injuries and roster moves after the loss against the Green Bay.

Dan Campbell balances injury concerns with roster moves

Detroit may have given a clue about how serious Taylor Decker’s injury is with Saturday’s practice squad moves. They announced that they are only elevating linebacker Monty Rice to the active roster, bypassing offensive linemen Devin Cochran, Michael Niese, and injured Dan Skipper. That decision leaves the Lions with just eight eligible offensive linemen to dress for a game. A strong indication that the coaching staff expects Decker to play despite not practicing the entire week due to a shoulder injury.

“Decker’s played a lot of football. And so, he’ll be ready as long as it feels right,” Campbell said Friday. “But yeah, we feel good right now. And there again, we still have another day here, and we’ll see. So, I can’t give you a definitive yes (he’ll play), but that’s where it’s at.” His statement both addresses the question mark surrounding Decker’s health and addresses the belief the coaching staff has that the veteran lineman is prepared. However, if Decker can’t play, then Giovanni Manu would replace him with Kayode Awosika as the emergency tackle.

If Decker doesn’t play, the Lions would have only seven healthy offensive linemen. And as per the game day roster rule, if a team has eight offensive linemen on game day, then they can dress 48 players instead of the normal 47. The Lions utilize this rule in most matchups. So not promoting from the offensive line is one of the more telling roster choices by Campbell. Official confirmation on Decker’s availability will come on Sunday, when the Lions release Week 2 inactives. But the roster moves all indicate that the Lions are expecting him to play against the Bears.