S Louis Delmas starts for the first time since Thanksgiving

Saturday’s inactive list is a welcome site to the Lions.

For the first time since Thanksgiving, the Lions will have all of their 22 starters in the game. That includes safety Louis Delmas, who hasn’t played since Thanksgiving Day against the Green Bay Packers.

As for the inactives, the only mild surprise is rookie linebacker Doug Hogue, who has played the last 13 games filling in on special teams for the injured Isaiah Ekejiuba.

Hogue was the victim of a healthy roster.

The other inactives for the Lions are quarterback Drew Stanton, corner Brandon McDonald, running back Joique Bell, safety Chris Harris, guard Leonard Davis and defensive end Andre Fluellen.

Harris, who has started the last five games for the Lions in place of the Delmas, missed all week of practice with a back injury.

Bell, who the Lions signed off the Saints practice team two weeks ago, will not get to face his old team.

Inactive for Saints are: WR Lance Moore, CB Leigh Torrence, LB Jonathan Casillas, G Eric Olsen, TE Tory Humphry, TE John Gilmore and DE Turk McBride.

Injury report: Lions healthy and ready to roll

The Lions head into their first playoff game in 12 years, Saturday against the Saints, the healthiest they’ve been in more than a month.

Friday’s injury report list’s only safety Chris Harris (back) as doubtful for Saturday night’s game in New Orleans.

Safety Louis Delmas, who hasn’t played since Thanksgiving with a right knee injury, is listed as probable. Delmas practiced all week for the first time since hurting the knee six weeks ago.

Also probable for the Lions are: defensive end Cliff Arvil (back), corner Aaron Berry (shoulder), defensive tackle Nick Fairley (foot), corner Chris Houston (knee/hand), receiver Calvin Johnson (Achilles), corner Alphonso Smith (foot), running back Kevin Smith (ankle/knee) defensive tackle Corey Williams (hip) and defensive end Willie Young (ankle).

The Lions should have all 11 starters on defense for the game.

That includes Williams, who missed last week’s game in Green Bay, and Berry, who hasn’t played since Dec. 11 against the Vikings.

It’s a good time for the Lions to be healthy.

DT Corey Williams still not at practice; others return

The Lions were still without defensive tackle Corey Williams (hip) in the team’s final practice of the week Thursday before Saturday’s home game against the Chargers.

Williams played through the hip injury against the Raiders last week and said Wednesday that it wouldn’t keep him from playing Saturday.

We’ll see.

Also missing practice was safety Louis Delmas (knee) and corner Don Carey (concussion).

The Lions did get defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch (neck), right tackle Gosder Cherilus (hamstring) and safety Chris Harris (concussion) back on the practice field. Each missed Tuesday and Wednesday.

Defensive tackle Nick Fairley and defensive end Willie Young worked off to the side instead of taking part in individual drills in the portion of practice open to the media.

Lions without four starters at practice Wednesday

The Lions were without four starters at practice Wednesday as they continued on-field preparations for Saturday’s Christmas Eve game against the Chargers at Ford Field.

Safety Louis Delmas, defensive tackle Corey Williams, right tackle Gosder Cherilus and defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch did not participate in the portion of practice open to the media.

Vanden Bosch is typically given a day of rest on Wednesday.

The official injury report will be released at 4 p.m.

Also not practicing for the Lions Wednesday were: defensive tackle Nick Fairley, safety Chris Harris and corner Don Carey.

Fairley practiced Tuesday. He said two weeks ago, though, that rest could be part of his weekly regiment going forward as he continues to deal with a foot injury.

Both Harris and Carey did not practice Tuesday.

Long snapper Don Muhlbach was back practicing Wednesday after missing Tuesday.

Corner Aaron Berry (shoulder), corner Chris Houston (knee) and defensive end Lawrence Jackson (thigh bruise) continue to practice this week.

Still no Louis Delmas at Lions practice

Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Monday that all of his 53 players would be “in the mix to play this week” when the Chargers come to Ford Field on Saturday.

That means none of the injuries the Lions are dealing with are long-term.

However, there were still a number of players missing from Tuesday’s first practice of the week.

Safety Louis Delmas, who had arthroscopic knee surgery on Saturday, did not practice.

Delmas didn’t travel to Oakland and hasn’t played since hurting the knee against the Packers on Thanksgiving.

Also not participating in the portion of practice open to the media were: defensive tackle Corey Williams, safety Chris Harris, corner Don Carey and long snapper Don Muhlbach.

Corner Aaron Berry practiced for the first time since separating his right shoulder against the Vikings Dec. 11 and to part in individual drills.

Berry still looks to be favoring that right shoulder some, though.

Corner Chris Houston, who started against Oakland Sunday but was replaced by Alphonso Smith, was participating in practice.

Defensive end Kyle Vanden Bosch got his usual day of rest to begin the workweek.

Fellow defensive end Lawrence Jackson took part in his second practice since suffering a thigh bruise against the Bears back in November.

Running back Kevin Smith (high ankle sprain) practiced and looked fine.

There will be no official injury report released by the team today.

Lions expect all 53 players to be “in the mix” for Chargers

It’s Week 16 in the NFL and every team is dealing with injuries – Lions included.

But coach Jim Schwartz gave a bit of positive news on that front during his Monday press conference with the media.

“I think that we’ll probably have everybody on our 53 will be in the mix this week,” he said.

“Whether or not they’ll play or not, still way too early to tell, but I think everybody’s going to be at least into consideration – at least in the mix.”

Schwartz said that included safety Louis Delmas, who had minor knee surgery Saturday to clean up a sprain suffered against the Packers on Thanksgiving.

“I mean it’s too early to tell there, but there’s a possibility,” he said.

Corner Chris Houston started Sunday in Oakland for the first time since also spraining a knee on Thanksgiving, but was replaced by Alphonso Smith when he had a hard time coming out of breaks and defending receivers.

Schwartz gave no update on safety Chris Harris, who was evaluated for a concussion early against the Raiders Sunday and did not return.

Corner Eric Wright and linebacker Justin Durant made it through the game with hamstring injuries. Both didn’t practice for the first time last week until Friday.

“Let’s not give out any Purple Hearts or anything.,” Schwartz said of Wright and Durant. “They’re professional football players and they were able to play and they did.”

Running back Kevin Smith made it through the game on that injured ankle, too.