Detroit Lions News: D’Andre Swift in jeopardy of missing Week Eleven

After practicing Wednesday, Detroit Lions starting running back D’Andre Swift was absent Thursday and apparently entered into the leagues’ concussion protocol putting his availability for Sunday in serious doubt.

Just a week after being designated as the organization’s starting running back, the rookie phenom D’Andre Swift is in severe jeopardy of missing Sunday’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers.  As the week trekked on, it seemed the Detroit Lions would have a significant advantage heading into their Week Eleven matchup with the misfortuned Panthers, who are littered with injuries.

The Panthers are set to play without arguably’s the leagues’ top all-purpose back in Christian McCaffrey along with their starting quarterback, Teddy Bridgewater.

After missing six games due to an ankle injury, McCaffrey hurt his shoulder late in his first game back, forcing him to miss his second-straight week.  Bridgewater suffered a knee injury last week and is expected to miss Sunday’s game with a sprained MCL, turning the keys over to a former XFL darling, P.J. Walker.

More from Detroit Jock City

• Tigers Sign Manager A.J. Hinch to Long-Term Extension
• Lions vs. Bears Week 14 Opening Odds Disrespect Detroit
• Former Tigers Celebrate Jim Leyland Hall of Fame Call
• This Pistons Team Could be the Worst in Detroit Sports History
• 4 Free Agents Tigers Should Sign During Winter Meetings

The Lions joined the party with bad news of their own.  Not only is Matthew Stafford banged up with a bad thumb, now he may be without his most productive running back.  It will be a miracle if Swift is able to clear the leagues’ concussion protocol in time to play Sunday.  The time of the injury is vague. Did it happen in Sunday’s game, and the symptoms are now just showing up?  Is there a chance Swift had been feeling off but failed to tell anyone?  Or did the injury occur in team practice?

The Detroit Lions offense can ill-afford to suffer much more heartache.  Star receiver Kenny Golladay remains on the mend as he continues to battle through a hip injury.  Golladay returned to practice Thursday after missing Wednesday.  In addition to that, Marvin Jones, Danny Amendola, and T.J. Hockenson have all missed or been limited during the week.

Swift had been surging, and it’s a shame he’s likely to miss Sunday’s contest.  He’s amassed 331 rushing yards on 70 carries.  Swift has also corralled 31 receptions, good for 275 receiving yards totaling six touchdowns in 2020.

Expect offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell to once again lean on the veteran running back Adrian Peterson, who leads the Detroit Lions with 371 rushing yards on 97 carries early on.  Kerryon Johnson will also have an opportunity to make his biggest impact of the season.