Lions Lowdown

ALLEN PARK — While the X-rays on Matthew Stafford’s right, throwing hand were negative after Sunday’s loss at Baltimore, the injury is not insignificant.

It’s unclear if Stafford will be available to start on Sunday when the Lions play the Bucs in Tampa Bay.

Stafford was limited in practice on Wednesday. He did not throw in the portion open to the media, but he worked on hand-offs.

“He’s not out of the woods yet, we have to see what he can do as the week goes on. It’s not some insignificant injury, that’s not the case. It’s something that he’s going to have to work at,  deal with in the course of the week to see where he is. It’s not like he’s out of the woods,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said on Wednesday morning.

Stafford said on Wednesday morning that he will take it day by day this week. He wouldn’t address whether he plans to play on Sunday. He said he’s in less pain than he was immediately after it was injured on Sunday.

Stafford, who has started 108 straight games, has played with hand injuries before. “Yeah, every one of them is different. This one is just the same. So, you got to kind of figure out what feels good, what doesn’t, and go from there,” Stafford said.

At his weekly press conference on Wednesday he was asked to show the media his hand and he said he’d would rather not.

The incident occurred in the fourth quarter of Sunday’s game just after Stafford threw an interception. His hand was stepped on in a pile-up. In no way did it appear intentional. He left the game and immediately went to the locker room for X-rays. Jake Rudock took over at quarterback.

Stafford has started 108 straight games going back to Week 1 of the 2011 season.

ALLEN PARK >> Shortly after Tion Green arrived in Baltimore with the Lions on Saturday afternoon the rookie running back got a knock on his hotel room door.

“The security guy says there’s a lady downstairs who says she’s your mom. I’m like, ‘What?’ I go downstairs, my mom is outside in a rental car and said let’s go for dinner. I’m like, ‘What?’ We get in the car, go eat, she said I told you I was coming I keep my promises.’ She came to Baltimore from Florida, we went to PF Changs’ in the city. She said tomorrow you’re going to have a good game, you’re going to score a touchdown. I’m like, ‘Mom you’re crazy. I said it’s ironic I might be playing tomorrow and she said you’re going to score too. And after the game I went up to her and asked, ‘How did you know?’’’

She told him she was psychic.

Green was active for his first NFL game on Sunday and just like his mom said, he scored a touchdown in the loss to the Ravens.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

“My mom is weird, she said maybe four weeks ago, she said, ‘Come Baltimore you’re going to play in your first game, you’re going to make a touchdown and I’m going to be there,’’’ Green said on Monday. “I was like, ‘Mom, you’re talking crazy, what are you talking about. I don’t know when I’m going to be up.’’

Apparently his mom, Leticia Strickland, knows.

She bought her own ticket to the game, bought her airline ticket and somehow found out the name of the hotel and was in the rental car waiting for her son.

“I just see here in the car smiling — she’s got gold teeth — she said, ‘That’s my son,’’ Green said.

Green had 11 carries for 51 yards and a six-yard touchdown run. His first NFL carry was for 33 yards

“She was the happiest woman in the world, that was my happy moment then because my mom my whole life said, ‘My biggest dream, I want you to make it, I just want to come to a game,’’ said Green who was signed as undrafted rookie free agent in the spring.

It was the first game that Green has been active this season. He said he didn’t know until just before gametime.

“Seriously I was warming up, I came back from warm-ups and my jersey was still in my locker so I kind of knew I was playing,’’ Green said.

Just before the Lions’ third series, coach Jim Caldwell walked up to him.

“Bear in my mind, I’m dressed but I just thought I’d be on special teams,’’ Green said. “Caldwell came over ‘Hey young fellow’ and Kenny (Golladay) is standing next to me. I think he’s talking to Kenny. I’m forgetting I’m dressed. ‘Hey young fellow. You ready? You’ve got to get ready you’re going in.’ ‘Kenny or me?’ ‘You,’’ Caldwell said.

At that point right guard T.J. Lang approached him.

“T.J, he hit me pretty hard on (the helmet) and said, ‘We need a spark right now.’ And he head-butted me and he said, ‘Let’s go,’’’ Green said.

He also pointed out the support he got from his fellow running backs and how much that meant to him. There are five on the roster and only three play each week. It’s a competitive situation but they support each other.

Green said he has not been frustrated standing on the sidelines for the first 11 games.

“Absolutely not, I’m in a very blessed position being on a 53-man roster, make active money, hanging out, working out, giving the defense a good look, being a cheerleader. That’s the best position you could be in,’’ Green said. “The thing about life is you have to be patient, patience is key just like running the football you have to be patient. … My whole story from high school to college is patience, patience, patience. I knew eventually I would get my shot whether it was this year, next year, next week or whenever. I knew I’d get my shot but you have to be ready.’’

The Detroit Lions showed a little fight in the second half, but once again it was too little, too late.

After falling behind 20-0 at the half, the Lions could not scratch their way back and lost 44-20 to the Ravens on Sunday in Baltimore.

The Lions drop to 6-6 with four games remaining including next Sunday at Tampa Bay. Their playoff hopes are not dead, but they are on life support.

“We’re not playing well enough and I have to do a better job of coaching as well,’’ coach Jim Caldwell said afterward.

(Photo courtesy of Detroit Lions)

The good news, at least for the next few weeks, is that Matthew Stafford’s right hand is not broken. Caldwell said he had X-rays and it’s a “nasty bruise.” Stafford had his hand stepped on late in the game and went into the locker room for X-rays right away.

Five reasons the Lions lost:

1. Another game, another slow start. The Lions have been fallen behind 43-0 in first quarter of last four games. They talk about focus, concentrating on details and it all sounds good but once again they didn’t translate to the field. Matthew Stafford fumbled on a snap on third-and-8 in first quarter. Lions recovered but were forced to punt. That’s on focus.

2. At one stretch in the second half, Stafford completed 20 straight passes, a franchise record. The 20th pass was to linebacker/fullback Nick Bellore for a touchdown. Stafford left the game late in the fourth quarter with an ice bag on his right hand. He wasn’t the whole problem, but part of it. He was 24 of 29 for 292 yards, one touchdown, one interception, one fumble loss and a 105.2 quarterback rating.

3. Stafford was also sacked three times. It’s not a coincidence that the offensive line was a M-A-S-H unit. Center Travis Swanson was out so Graham Glasgow started at center. Corey Robinson then filled in at left guard. Right tackle Rick Wagner (ankle) was injured and couldn’t return so Brian Mihalik stepped in and at one point T.J. Lang was out, but he was able to return with a foot injury. Stafford was pressure all day long by a very solid Ravens front line.

4. The defense was unprepared at times. On a 23-yard pass to  Chris Moore late in the third quarter, the Lions had only nine defensemen on the field. That’s just one example. They gave up too many big plays against the Ravens’ offense which, coming into the game, was averaging 281.1 yards per game which ranks second-to-last in the NFL.  They finished Sunday with 371 total yards (269 passing).  Before Sunday the Ravens ranked dead last in the NFL with 164.3 passing yards per game. Beat that up more than 100 yards. Quarterback Joe Flacco had plenty of time most of the day, he was never sacked. Detroit’s linebackers couldn’t stop the run. That is not news either.

5. The run game was ineffective once again with 78 yards rushing. At least offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter didn’t just stick to his old ways, he added a few twists. He activated rookie Tion Green who had 11 carries for 51 yards and a touchdown in his first game. Also he brought in linebacker Nick Bellore as a fullback. Stafford threw a touchdown pass to him on second-and-goal from the 1-yard line. Ameer Abdullah (neck) was out injured and Dwayne Washington was inactive. And, of course, the banged-up offensive line wasn’t much help either.

BONUS:  Matt Prater missed a 42-yard field goal — the first time this season he’s missed a field goal of less than 50 yards. He also missed on an extra point. Both were wide left. Those four points could have been crucial, although looking at the final score they weren’t exactly. It’s so uncharacteristic of Prater. Again, he was not the only issue but it takes a team to win and he didn’t do his part.