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The absences for the Washington Commanders are stacking up for their game against the Detroit Lions. It’s looking like the Lions won’t have to worry about quarterback Jayden Daniels after his elbow injury, but one of Washington’s top playmakers on defense is facing a suspension for the Week 10 matchup, as well. Linebacker Frankie Luvu was suspended without pay for one game following his third violation of the rule against hip-drop tackles this season. After being fined for violations in Weeks 4 and 8, Luvu was once again tacked with a hip-drop tackle on Jackson Smith-Njigba in the first quarter of Sunday night’s game. The Commanders went on to lose 38-14, the team’s fourth straight loss and third straight defeat by 20-plus points. Luvu is reportedly appealing the ruling, but if it doesn’t go his way the 29-year-old linebacker will forfeit a game check worth $508,333 when the Commanders host the Lions Sunday afternoon. The Lions got to know Luvu and his repeated run-ins with disciplinary actions as he was fined twice in the Lions-Commanders playoff game last season. Luvu received two fines totaling $33,766 for an illegal hit on quarterback Jared Goff during a pick-six return and for a hip-drop tackle on running back Jahmyr Gibbs. According to an NFL release, Luvu’s suspension was due to "repeated violations of playing rules that protect the safety and health of players." The swivel hip-drop tackle was banned in 2024 due to the technique frequently resulting in injuries. The league says Luvu violated the rule that states a foul if a player “grabs the runner with one or both hands or wraps the runner with both arms” and also “unweights himself by swiveling or dropping his hips and/or lower body, landing on and/or trapping the runner’s leg(s) at or below the knee.” In his eighth NFL season, Luvu has 50 total tackles, two sacks and one forced fumble in nine games for the Commanders. The loss of Luvu only adds to the problems of Washington’s bottom-five overall defense, which also lost cornerback Marshon Lattimore due to a season-ending torn ACL on Sunday. For a Lions offense that struggled against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, this could be a fortunate development as they try and get back into their rhythm on the road.
