​Blake Miller trending toward return against Jets, after first missed game of life

Blake Miller hadn't missed a game in his life, not in college, high school, or Pop Warner. Then he missed his second game in the NFL.

While Miller was doing "everything I humanly (could)" to take the field last Thursday night against the Bills, the short week didn't leave him enough time to heal the knee injury he suffered in the Lions' season-opening win over the Saints. Knowing that Miller would have played were it up to him, the Lions took the decision out of his hands and shut him down Wednesday.

"I kept trying to kick that can down the road, 'Hey, if I feel better tomorrow, if I feel better tomorrow,' and eventually you just run out of runway and the plane can’t take off," Miller said Wednesday.

Had the game been played on Sunday, "I feel like I would’ve been able to go," he said. "The short week, quick turnaround made it really difficult. It was really frustrating and disappointing to not be out there, but attacking rehab, felt great today, can’t wait to get out there again with the boys."

The Lions badly missed their starting right tackle, who should be back Sunday against the Jets. Larry Borom started in Miller's place and allowed 11 quarterback pressures, per PFF, most of any offensive lineman in a single game in the last two years, and two sacks. He was beaten badly in a number of matchups with Bills star edge rusher Gregory Rousseau as Detroit fell into a 21-0 hole and never recovered.

It pained Miller to watch the rout from home, even as the offense came to life in the second half. Availability was one of his calling cards at Clemson, when he missed all of one practice in four years.

"First off, I want to be out there to help my guys, and to build a bond with everyone on offense, everyone on defense," Miller said. "Seeing those guys sacrifice what they do, I owe it to them to be on the field if I can be. It makes it hurt that much more, because you’ve seen what these guys have put in, and you feel like you’re shortchanging people at times. That may not be reality, but internally you have that conversation with yourself, so it is tough.

"But blessed to be back out there, running around again and playing football with my guys."

Indeed, Miller was back at practice Monday as a limited participant and should play Sunday assuming his knee responds well to the exertion. The Lions will be happy to have him against a Jets defense that boasts a pair of exciting young edge rushers in Will McDonald IV, the 15th overall pick in 2023, and David Bailey, the second overall pick this year. Bailey had a sack in both of his first two games.

Miller faced Bailey in college when Bailey was still at Stanford and kept him out of the sack column, but not without a fight.

"I just remember going in the whole week, watching him and being like, 'Wow, this guy is really, really talented.' The scouting report kind of glossed over it a little bit, didn't really go super in depth, and I remember sitting there, talking to my other tackle, like, 'This guy's a special player.' Got out there during the game and sure enough, he was a very, very good player," Miller said with a laugh. "Kind of been vindicated a little bit with his success in the league and where he was drafted."

Bailey has taken most of his snaps through two games on the left end of the defensive line (across from the right tackle), so Miller stands to see a lot of him Sunday. The Jets have allowed the fewest yards and second fewest passing yards in the NFL through two games. Slowing down their defensive front, and paving lanes on the ground, will be key for the Lions to generate a better offensive rhythm in Week 3.

Miller is eager for a good week of practice and a return to action on Sunday. Missing a game, he said, "reframes your mentality a little bit."

"Some days can seem a little long at times, but it gets taken away from you, you really understand what a blessing it is to be out there with your teammates. So just a little extra pep in the step today," he said. "Ready to get after it this week."

And yeah, after finally missing a game, "hopefully with the blessing of the good lord that will be the only one for a while," Miller said.