Author: Paula Pasche

DETROIT — Running back Ameer Abdullah, who has missed the last two games, is active today for the game against the Chicago Bears at Ford Field. Kickoff is at 4:30 p.m.

Running backs Dwayne Washington and Zach Zenner are inactive.

It’s unclear what role Abdullah will have.

Ziggy Ansah (ankle) who was limited in practice this week is a go. The defensive end has played in the last three games despite knee and back injuries. He was questionable on Thursday’s injury report.

The Lions offensive line will be missing two starters in right tackle Rick Wagner and center Travis Swanson as the Lions face the Chicago Bears at 4:30 p.m. today. They were declared out on Thursday after they didn’t practice at all this week.

Right guard T.J. Lang (foot) is active after he was limited in practice on Thursday after sitting out on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Expect Corey Robinson to start in place of Wagner at right tackle. Left guard Graham Glasgow is expected to shift to center for Swanson. Glasgow also started at center at the Ravens two weeks ago.

Joe Dahl is expected to get his first start of the season at left guard.

Got that?

Other Lions inactives: Tackle Emmett Cleary, wide receiver Bradley Marquez and defensive tackle Rodney Coe.

While the Chicago Bears have just won four games, they play tough. The Lions discovered that in their first meeting on Nov. 19. The Lions won 27-24 thanks to a last-minute 52-yard Matt Prater field goal.

On Saturday they meet again at Ford Field at 4:30 p.m.

It’s a huge game for the Lions (7-6) who must win to keep any playoff hopes alive. They know they cannot take the Bears (4-9) lightly.

The Bears have defeated the Steelers, Panthers and Ravens — three teams that have beaten the Lions.

“They run the ball as well as anybody that we’ve seen to date. What they were able to do against us, what they were able to do last week, they’re blocking extremely well up front,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said on Thursday.

“The backs are running extremely hard and with that, they’re doing a nice job in terms of mixing that with their play actions and so it keeps a lot of teams off balance when you got to be concerned about the run,’’ Caldwell said. “The upfield sort of a push is not as prevalent, but then also they’re keeping things within range just in terms of they gain so many yards on first down, they never get in to a whole lot of third down and long situations where your protection is challenged.’’

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

Here are five things to watch when the Lions play the Bears:

1. Stop Bears running back Jordan Howard who had 125 yards on 15 carries in the first meeting. He’s not a one-man band, Tarik Cohen is a handful too. The Bears ran for 222 yards in that game, compared to 65 for the Lions. “(Howard) had good games against us, he’s a good runner, he’s got really good vision, runs behinds his pads. I mean, even the big run he had in the first game it looked all bottled up, and he just had a little patience, and then it opened up and he went,’’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “The other guy’s (Cohen) a hard tackle. He’s not a big guy, but he is shifty, a hard tackle.’’

2. Ameer Abdullah is expected to return after missing two games with a neck injury. He felt he was ready to go last week but he was not active. Theo Riddick had just 29 rushing yards in the win at Tampa Bay last week but he ran in for a pair of touchdowns. Rookie Tion Green has shown flashes. “So, we got some getting better to do when we run the football, but I’m excited to get Ameer back on the field. He’s a good football player, and we like good football players,’’ offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said.

3. Matthew Stafford needs a solid game like he had in the first meeting (299 passing yards, two touchdowns, zero interceptions). At least Cooter stayed with the pass last week with 44 pass attempts and 18 carries. “ I thought we had some success throwing the ball last week. I would like to have more success when we run it. That would be beneficial to our offense and our team for sure. So, we would like to be more successful, more efficient running the football,’’ Cooter said without giving away any of his secrets.

4. Rattle the rookie. Pressure quarterback Mitchell Trubisky who is “much improved” in recent weeks according to Austin. “I thought he was outstanding last week the way he played, I thought he had really good command of the offense,’’ Austin said of Trubisky. “He made all the throws he needed to make, he was sharp, he was accurate, he was decisive with the ball. So, I think he’s really improved since the first time we played him.”

5. Get off to a good start. In the first meeting, the Bears took a 10-0 lead in the first quarter. The Lions were able to fight back for a win but it wasn’t easy.

PREDICTION: Lions 27, Bears 21

It’s been a rough season for the Lions offensive line.

This group was supposed to be a strength, but injuries have prevented the line playing together as planned except for two games in November.

It started in June when left tackle Taylor Decker injured his shoulder and underwent surgery.

So far Graham Glasgow is the only lineman who has played in every game. He’s typically the left guard but has started for Travis Swanson at center in the two games he’s missed.

Joe Dahl was on injured reserved for nine weeks and Corey Robinson missed eight games with injury.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

It continues through this week. Three of the five Lions who did not practice on Thursday were offensive linemen — T.J. Lang (foot), Swanson (concussion) and Rick Wagner (ankle). Also Decker was limited in practice due to his shoulder.

Although Lang has missed several practices due to injury, he has only missed two games.

“It’s not easy this time of year, it’s a physical game, but (Lang) knows his body, he knows what he needs. It’s great to have a guy that’s been around a bit to be able to step in there who if he says he can go when the doctors concur with that as well, he steps in and does a great job,” coach Jim Caldwell said.

Swanson and Wagner have been ruled out for Saturday when the Lions (7-6) host the Chicago Bears (4-9).

Look for Glasgow to start at center and possibly Dahl to fill in at left guard. Expect to see Corey Robinson or Brian Mihalik, who has played in every game with two starts, to replace Wagner at right tackle.

Coach Jim Caldwell wouldn’t say he’s frustrated with the offensive line injuries, instead saying it’s part of the game.

“It’s just how it is, I mean you have to adapt and adjust. …  I believe you don’t dwell on things of that nature, I mean all you do is handicap yourself. Let’s move on with it, you understand the circumstances, nobody cares about that. The only thing anybody cares about is winning, I’m talking about people outside of our building,’’ Caldwell said. “Certainly, we care about our guys from a physical nature and all that kind of stuff, I don’t want somebody to misunderstand that part of it, but nevertheless, I just don’t spend a whole lot of time worrying about that. Here it is, this is what it is, deal with it, win. Plain and simple, no excuses.”

Despite the musical chairs on the O-line, last week in the win at Tampa Bay was the first time all season that Matthew Stafford was not sacked.

The Lions durable quarterback has been sacked 39 times, tied for second in the league. Only the Colts’ Jacoby Brissett has been sacked more often (48). And still Stafford has the third most passing yards in the NFL (3,683) behind Tom Brady (3,865) and Ben Roethlisberger (3,744).

“We’re just trying to adjust and adapt to our guys and their guys — our sort of pass protection plan to their either pass rush plan or blitz plan. And every one of those things matches up a little bit differently. Our guys up front did a really nice job last week,’’ offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said. “That was not a defense that was going to blitz you 40 times in a game. They were going to mix some big pressures from time to time, but a lot of times we were getting four-man rush. We tried to have the best plan available to block those four guys.’’

Of course sacks are not just the fault of the line, Stafford needs to get rid of the ball in timely fashion and he needs pass protection from everyone else too.

“Our guys up front did a good job. Stafford did a good job getting the ball out on time which requires our receivers getting open on time, and that all kind of worked together pretty well a lot of those times last week anyway, and we need to keep that going. Zero sack games are really beneficial for our team,’’ Cooter said.

And for the health of Stafford whose throwing hand was severely bruised in the loss at the Ravens.