Tim Boyle moved a step closer Wednesday to being the starting quarterback for the Detroit Lions in Week 11.
Boyle, who technically remains on injured reserve, is taking the starter reps with the first-team offense as Jared Goff deals with a strained oblique. Goff’s status remains day-to-day and the Lions haven’t ruled him out for Sunday’s game at Cleveland.
The Lions also have a tight turnaround to Week 12, when they kick off Thanksgiving Day with the usual lunchtime game at Ford Field. The Lions host the Chicago Bears for the holiday game for the fourth consecutive year.
Boyle is in the 21-day practice window to be activated from injured reserve. David Blough is the only other active quarterback on the roster.
Boyle spent the first three years of his NFL career with the Packers and recently was activated from thumb surgery.
The 27-year-old has not appeared in a game this season. He has three career completions (four attempts).
Goff is 25th in the NFL with eight touchdown passes in 2021, his first season in Detroit following the offseason trade with the Rams involving Matthew Stafford. He has only one TD pass in the past five games.
Goff was sacked four times by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 16-16 tie last week and went for tests on his oblique Monday. He was sacked five times the previous week by the Eagles in a 44-6 loss.
Backups have become a recent Thanksgiving trend in Detroit.
In 2019, the Lions had to turn to Blough to make his NFL debut on Thanksgiving Day in a 24-20 loss to the Bears.
In 2018, the Bears beat the Lions on Thanksgiving Day behind backup quarterback Chase Daniel.
