Caldwell On Johnson Playing This Weekend: 'Miracles Have Happened'
By Ashley Dunkak
@AshleyDunkak
ALLEN PARK (CBS DETROIT) - Detroit Lions head coach Jim Caldwell would not disclose Friday morning whether wide receiver Calvin Johnson will miss a second straight game Sunday. He left the door open on the possibility of Johnson playing.
"I've been surprised before," Caldwell said. "He's an unusual guy, and just talking to him yesterday after practice, he's feeling good and coming along, so miracles have happened."
Caldwell paused before answering whether a miracle would be required for Johnson to be on the field against the New Orleans Saints this weekend.
"It would probably be fairly close to that in some cases, but in this particular case, I just think he's a little different guy," Caldwell said. "These guys have an unbelievable tolerance for pain, their recovery is quick, and he's no different. When they take such great care of their bodies, you find the healing process happens a little bit quicker, and your attitude as well."
Johnson missed last week's game against the Minnesota Vikings because of an ankle injury he suffered the previous week against the Buffalo Bills. Johnson did not practice Wednesday or Thursday.
In addition to missing Johnson, the Lions might also be without the services of tight ends Joe Fauria and Eric Ebron. Fauria has been out since Sept. 25 after spraining an ankle while tripping down the stairs of his home in pursuit of his puppy, but Caldwell said it can be considered a good sign that Fauria has been out on the field watching practice.
"They're ramping up his activities," Caldwell said. "Often times if they're not on the practice field, sometimes it's due to treatment that they're receiving and we feel they're better served maybe during individual periods and certain periods inside, but when team work begins and a guy can learn and listen and watch and sort of get mental reps, we think it's advantageous to walk him out on the field ... With him being out there you can see that he is making good progress."
Ebron's injury is more recent. He was limited in practice Wednesday with a hamstring issue and did not practice at all Thursday.
"[Ebron]'s got a little bit of an issue he dealt with the other day, and he's had a similar issue before," Caldwell said. "It's just a matter of how quickly he's going to be able to rebound, so the doctors are still working with him, and he'll be day-to-day. He hasn't practice in a couple days, obviously since Wednesday, so hopefully he'll get back soon."
Caldwell said the potential absences of Fauria and Ebron will not influence the decision on whether to play Johnson.
"Although that's all part of the passing game, all those positions, we still have to look at each case a little differently," Caldwell said, "and it really depends upon what the doctors say."
Quarterback Matthew Stafford and the Lions offense might feel some pressure this week to keep up with the high-scoring Saints offense, but the coach said Stafford will need to play within his normal limits rather than trying to make up for the missing weapons in the passing attack.
"It's always, I think, dangerous when you, in a team game, the one in which we play, where you try to do too much because you've got 11 guys out there on the field that are assigned to do a job, and you have to be able to rely on everyone to do their job," Caldwell said, "and I think he's done a real fine job of that, and he's been a guy that has a real astute understanding of how to win games, particularly tight games, and so he I think has gotten to the point where you can see him progressing. He hasn't been doing too much or trying to do too much, and I think you'll continue to see him do the things that he knows how to do but yet still try to get the ball in the hands of our playmakers."
