ALLEN PARK -- Matthew Stafford was not practicing on Wednesday as Detroit began preparations for this week’s game against the Dallas Cowboys.
Stafford is dealing with a back injury that he suffered on a high hit two weeks ago in Oakland. ESPN says he has fractured bones in his back, the second time in as many years he’s had such an injury.
He did practice all last week with the injury, but a scan on Friday revealed the injury was worse than believed. He was held out of Sunday’s game in Chicago -- the first time he’s missed a start since the 2010 finale -- and now he’s being held out of practice too.
Stafford was in attendance at practice -- which was held indoors because of the heavy snows that have hit the area -- and lightly tossed a few footballs while everyone else stretched. But he was not in shells with the rest of the team and traded his helmet for a backwards hat. He did not take any actual practice reps during the 20 minutes that were available to reporters.
Jeff Driskel was back under center with the first-team offense, and is expected to get a second straight start if Stafford can’t go Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit was pleased with his play over the weekend in Chicago, when he got a couple hours notice that he would be starting against the Bears. He still completed seven of his first eight passes, led Detroit in rushing, then connected with Kenny Golladay on a 47-yard touchdown pass that drew the Lions to within a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
But Driskel’s fourth-down pass sailed through the back of the end zone in the closing seconds, and Detroit lost 20-13.
Offensive tackle Rick Wagner (brain), running back Ty Johnson (brain), defensive lineman Da’Shawn Hand (ankle), safety Tracy Walker (knee) and defensive end Romeo Okwara (groin) also were not practicing. The good news is Walker, who has missed two games with his injury, was sprinting on the side with a trainer. That’s usually a sign a player is close to returning.