Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford suffered a throwing hand injury Sunday in Baltimore that caused him to leave the game in the fourth quarter. He did not return.
The X-rays came back negative, but head coach Jim Caldwell said Stafford isn't out of the woods yet.
"We'll have to kind of see how it goes to be honest with you," Caldwell said. "It's not going to be obviously, any time that you're dealing with a throwing hand it's not going to be easy. We'll see how it heals."
Stafford was a limited participant in practice, but seemed to ramp up his activity in the portions of practice open to the media as the week went on.
"Every one of them is different," Stafford said, when asked how difficult it is to play through throwing hand injuries. "This one is just the same. You have to kind of figure out what feels good and what doesn't and go from there."
He's officially listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Buccaneers in Tampa.
TALKING TAMPA BAY
With a 4-8 record, the Lions' next opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, aren't having the season they imagined, but they still have the talent to finish the season out strong.
Buccaneers starting quarterback Jameis Winston returned last week after missing some time with shoulder soreness.
"Every time he goes out there it's more experience," Bucs head coach Dirk Koetter said in a conference call with Detroit media Wednesday. "He's 23 years old. As I look at (Lions QB Matthew Stafford) from when he came into the league, I think he's having a terrific year, and I would be willing to bet that he would say that experience has helped him more than anything else.
"He's gotten better each year, the more he's played, and I think the same will happen for Jameis."
For Mike O'Hara's full scouting report on the Buccaneers, click here.
PLAYOFF PICTURE
Last week's loss to the Ravens took its toll on the Lions and their playoff chances.
"You kind of get tired of not playing well," safety Glover Quin said after the loss. "Of not winning games. We've got to figure it out. Time is running out."
Minnesota is very close to clinching the NFC North title, and the Lions are currently the 8th seed in the NFC. Win out, and the Lions still have a chance for a wild card.
Despite the circumstances changing, the Lions are keeping their one game at a time focus, starting this Sunday in Tampa.
OTHER NOTEWORTHY ITEMS:
- Fresh off his first touchdown, Nick Bellore made an appearance on two detroitlions.com features this week: #AskALion and Talkin' With T.J.
- After a solid first start at strong safety, the Lions are moving forward with Quandre Diggs in that role.
- How can Lions improve the run game? Tim Twentyman answers that and more in his latest 10 Questions column.
- Catch up on all the news from Teryl Austin's and Jim Bob Cooter's Thursday press conferences.
