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| Lions RB Mikel Leshoure will make his first NFL start Sunday against the Titans. (Getty Images) |
When Lions’ coach Jim Schwartz was asked about RB Mikel Leshoure’s expected role for Sunday's game against the Titans, his standard response during every post-practice media briefing was “we’ll see.”
In Leshoure’s case, it appears Schwartz’s “we’ll see” means this: “He’s starting.”
Lions officials confirmed that Leshoure would assume starting RB duties when the team released its inactives 90 minutes before the start of Sunday’s game. Leshoure has looked strong in open practice periods all week, and C Dominic Raiola told reporters that he and other veteran Lions players were excited to see the impact of Leshoure’s power rushing style on the offense.
Sunday will be Leshoure’s first exposure to a full-strength defense, since the bulk of his preseason carries came against slightly weakened defensive lineups. Lions trainers will be watching him closely to ensure he can handle an increased workload. Leshoure’s designation as the starting RB indicates he’ll see significant time in the backfield, but it’s likely that he’ll still share carries with Kevin Smith.
One other surprise on the pregame roster list was Detroit’s decision to list DE Lawrence Jackson among its inactives. Jackson wasn’t listed on the Lions’ injury report at any time during the week of practice, and he was able to play through a calf injury in Week 1. The move means Willie Young should see added reserve DE reps, and it opens the door for rookie Ronnell Lewis to expand his role on defense.
Follow Lions reporter John Kreger on Twitter at @CBSLions and @JohnKreger.
