Lions TE Sam LaPorta (knee) active for Sunday's NFC Divisional Round game vs. Buccaneers
The Lions will again have their superstar tight end available while looking to build on last week’s history-making playoff win.
Sam LaPorta is officially active for Sunday’s NFC Divisional Round game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
LaPorta, who was a full participant in Detroit’s Wednesday practice before logging two limited sessions, received a questionable designation heading into the weekend.
To no surprise, the reduced practice participation proved more of a strategy to keep the rookie rested rather than being a suggestion he was trending downward.
LaPorta beat the odds to play in Detroit’s 24-23 wild-card win over the Los Angeles Rams after suffering a hyperextended knee and bone bruise in the Lions’ regular-season finale.
He logged his lowest number of plays all season (44) — apart from the Week 18 game in which he was initially injured — and contributed only three catches for 14 yards, but he made it count by collecting one of his receptions in the end zone.
With another week of recovery, perhaps LaPorta will receive a higher number of plays and look closer to his regular-season self, when he had 889 receiving yards, set the rookie record for receptions as a tight end with 86 and became just the third rookie TE in history to score 10 touchdowns.
He’ll be one of many Lions playmakers who could become a handful for the Buccaneers defense with a trip to the NFC Championship Game against the host San Francisco 49ers on the line.
The No. 3 seed Lions and No. 4 Buccaneers kick off at 3 p.m. ET on Sunday.
