Running back Kerryon Johnson's 24-yard run early in the fourth quarter down to the Green Bay 8-yard line was one of the pivotal plays that set up Detroit's last touchdown in their 31-23 victory over the Green Bay Packers Sunday afternoon.
Unfortunately, as Johnson got pushed out of bounds, he looked to take an awkward step as his foot kind of got stuck in the turf. He limped back to the sideline and never returned with what the Lions officially called an ankle injury.
Johnson rushed 12 times for 70 yards (5.8 average) against the Packers to continue his fine play. He is averaging 5.7 yards per rushing attempt through five games. He has 50 attempts for 286 yards and a score on the season, and has also caught 13 passes for another 68 yards.
Johnson was taped by trainers on the sideline after suffering the injury, and was trying to test it out by running up and down the sideline. He didn't have his helmet for Detroit's next offensive possession, and never returned to the game.
The Lions have a bye next week, so Johnson gets some extra rest, but the ankle will be something to monitor before their Oct. 21 game in Miami.
"I think I scared myself way more than actual damage was done. But we got a bye week, heal up, be out here next week," Johnson said.
Could he have gone back if needed?
"Yeah, I think I could've," he said. "If I can walk, I can run. That's just the mindset I've always tried to play with. If I needed to, I think I could have."
Also on the injury front, second-year cornerback Jamal Agnew suffered a knee injury late in the fourth quarter that didn't look too good on first glance. Lions head coach Matt Patricia didn't have any updates after the game, but Agnew needed a lot of help to get to the sideline. He did not return.
The other injury to note for the Lions was cornerback Teez Tabor leaving the game in the first half with a groin injury and not returning.
BYE WEEK
The win Sunday was huge not just because the Lions needed it at 1-3 and it was a division game, but also because with the bye week up next, it was important for the Lions to feel good about something over their extended break.
"Like you said, we have two weeks or 10 days or so, whatever it is, to sit on whatever happens today," quarterback Matthew Stafford said. "And it feels a whole lot better with a win for sure."
It's a rare early bye week for the Lions, who will play 11 straight weeks after the break.
The Lions head to the bye week having defeated Green Bay for the third straight time, the first time that's happened since the 1990-91 season.
"There are only 16 games, so every win is important," head coach Matt Patricia said. "Every one is critical. Obviously, the division games are – they're huge. It's always good to win going into the bye. It usually makes everybody in the building a little bit happier."
TOUGH POSTGAME
Credit Packers kicker Mason Crosby for standing in front of reporters and taking questions after missing four field goals and an extra point in the loss. He could have easily ditched out of the locker room after the game, but he didn't.
"So, this one unfortunately was really bad and going to have to really look at this one, and you know this one hurts a bunch," he said. "I left a lot of points on the field for this team and I'm disappointed in my performance.
"And, this is, I look back, I'm thinking in my childhood, you know high school, this is definitely a lot worse. I'm bummed about that."
EXTRA POINTS
- The Packers didn't punt once in the entire contest. They gained 521 yards to Detroit's 264, but lost the game because of three turnovers, four missed field goals and a missed extra point.
- The Lions' defense was good holding Green Bay to just 3-of-10 on third down. Unfortunately, the Packers were a perfect 2-for-2 on fourth down. "There definitely are probably more of the fourth down plays that I'm thinking that got tied into third down that I'm not real happy about," Patricia said. "But I have to do a better job coaching that up and getting it fixed."
