ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP)Matt Stafford took his first step toward returning from a knee injury. The Detroit Lions quarterback now has to wait to see if he took it too soon.
Stafford returned to practice Wednesday after missing Sundays loss to Pittsburgh with a knee injury. Its not clear whether he has a shot at playing against Green Bay (2-2) this weekend.
It was good to be doing something again, he said. The question will be how it reacts tomorrow. Im not even thinking about playing on Sunday right now I just want to see how it feels on Thursday.
Stafford, who sustained a knee injury in an Oct. 4 loss at Chicago, acknowledged that he isnt 100 percent.
It is on its way, but I can still feel it a little bit, he said. Its not a lot of fun watching from the sidelines, but well have to see how this goes. Im not going to know for a few more days.
Lions coach Jim Schwartz was cautiously optimistic.
Hes improvingdoing a little more every daybut theres still a long way to go until Sunday and definitely a lot of ground left to be covered, he said.
Wide receiver Calvin Johnson(notes) (knee) did not practice.
Hes also improving, but you saw that he wasnt able to do things today, Schwartz said. If he cant go, we have other guys who will have to step up, but it definitely changes the way a defense will play us. Calvin is the kind of guy that a coordinator always has to account for when hes on the field.
After the road trip to play the Packers, the Lions (1-4) have a bye week.