The Detroit Lions will be playing Kansas City on Sunday without one of the team's top cornerbacks.
Rashean Mathis, who practiced fully Thursday and Friday, is inactive Sunday against the Chiefs, presumably because of the illness he had been dealing with during the week. This is a blow to a somewhat thin secondary for the Lions as the rest of the team's corners other than starter Darius Slay are more suited to play in the slot.
Nevin Lawson, the 2014 fourth round pick out of Utah State, will start in place of Mathis. He has played in six games this season, but only 15 snaps on defense -- making one tackle.