Alex Anzalone played through fractured ribs in Detroit Lions' playoff win over Buccaneers
Frank Ragnow wasn't the only Detroit Lion who fought through multiple injuries to be on the field for last week's 31-23 playoff win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Lions linebacker Alex Anzalone did, too.
Anzalone fractured three ribs in the Lions' Week 18 win over the Minnesota Vikings and has played the past two games with the injury.
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He had a team-high eight tackles, including two for loss, in the Lions' 24-23 wild card win over the Los Angeles Rams, and made six more tackles, including two to get off the field on third downs, in last week's divisional-round win over the Bucs.
Anzalone was not immediately diagnosed with the injury after the Vikings game and was not listed on the injury report before the Rams game when he left briefly in the second half with what was announced as a shoulder injury.
The veteran linebacker, who led the team with a career-high 129 tackles this season, was listed on last week's injury report with shoulder and rib injuries. He said after the Rams game and again last week the injuries would not prevent him from playing against the Bucs.
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He also has been dealing with a sprained AC joint in his shoulder.
"Look, Alex is tough," Lions coach Dan Campbell said last week. "He’s been through this. And it does, it means a lot. I mean, that’s – that’s really what we’re built off here. And ultimately, it comes down to what the player believes they can do. If they believe they can still produce not being 100 percent, then that’s the difference and we have a ton of guys that are that way.”
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Ragnow did not miss a snap against the Bucs despite suffering a knee injury late in the first half. He waved off trainers who came over to check on him at various points in the game and said Sunday playing through injuries was a case of mind over matter.
Rookie tight end Sam LaPorta also has been playing through a hyperextended knee and bone bruise he suffered in Week 18. LaPorta set a rookie playoff record for tight ends last week with nine catches for 65 yards.
Ragnow played all 73 offensive snaps in that game, and Anzalone played all 64 defensive snaps.
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"I just take a lot of pride in being out there with the guys, being out there for the city," Ragnow said Sunday. "They signed me to this extension a few years ago and I want to be fulfilling that. I don’t want to be that guy who gets paid and not doing that stuff. I want to be out there and finding a way to win."
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions LB Alex Anzalone played through fractured ribs in win over Bucs
