Back when the NFL schedule first dropped, I think a lot of people surrounding the Detroit Lions let out a collective groan. Early bye weeks, especially for those with championship aspirations like the Lions, are typically not looked at as a positive thing. However, after a 3-1 start to the season, the Lions were a little banged up.
Players like All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and star safety Brian Branch were both nursing injuries that caused them to sit out of the Week 4 win over the Seattle Seahawks on Monday night. Others were dinged up as well, so even most would have preferred a bye week later in the season, nobody was mad about the time off.