Lions reeling from concussions. Best misses wed prac (1 Viewer)

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Three days after sustaining his second concussion of the 2011 league year, Detroit Lionsrunning back Jahvid Best is being held out of Wednesday's practice, Chris McCosky ofThe Detroit News reports.

Coming off the first 100-yard game of his career, Best was limited to just 37 yards by a physical San Francisco 49ers defense led by defensive end Justin Smith and inside linebackers Patrick Willis and NaVorro Bowman, who stopped Best to one yard or less on eight of his 12 attempts.

Best suffered a concussion during training camp and his college career with the Cal Bearswas ended by a concussion. Best will need to pass a concussion test conducted by an independent neurologist before he can be cleared to practice and play. Teammate Justin Durant has missed the last three weeks with a concussion, while tight end Tony Schefflerstill has not been cleared to return from his concussion on October 10.

Durant tweeted that he had passed his concussion protocol test, but was held out of today's practice, as well.

The Lions traded backup running back Jerome Harrison to the Philadelphia Eagles in exchange for running back Ronnie Brown on Tuesday, and McCosky adds that the Lions have signed running back James Davis to the practice squad. Brown had just 38 yards on 13 attempts for the Eagles, but provides the Lions with an inside-running presence that the team has lacked since losing 2011 second-round pick Mikel Leshoure to a torn Achilles during training camp.

 

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Tim Twentyman/ The Detroit News



Allen Park— Lions coach Jim Schwartz didn't rule out the possibility of running back Jahvid Best playing in Sunday's game against the Falcons, in an interview with 97.1 FM on Tuesday.



Best suffered a concussion in the fourth quarter of last week's game against the 49ers.



"Oh, sure," Schwartz said when asked if Best could play this week. "He's just needs to pass all his (concussion tests). But again, it's a very objective test by neutral doctors and things like that. The good news with Jahvid is that he was able to finish the game."



If Best can't go, though, Schwartz said he's confident Maurice Morris and Jerome Harrison can fill the void.



"Maurice Morris has always played well when we've given him the football, Schwartz told 97.1 FM Tuesday. "He has different roles when Jahvid's been healthy but late in the year last year when Jahvid's toes were bothering him, Maurice came in and played very well.



"Jerome Harrison has been that guy in his career, also. Last year, he didn't get very many opportunities with Philly, but there were two games they gave him the ball and he got over 100 yards."



Morris filled in for Best at the end of last season and had three games where he averaged 4.6 yards per carry, including a 109-yard performance (7.3 ypa) against the Buccaneers in a Lions victory in Week 15.



Harrison rushed for 109 yards on 11 carries against the Redskins in Week 10 last year and had 99 yards on 21 carries in the final game of the season against the Cowboys.



"We feel very good about all 53 guys on our roster and all 53 are here for a reason," Schwartz said. "Each of those guys has a little different tool box and a little different skill set."



Schwartz did say that there was still a chance Best will play on Sunday, though.

http://detnews.com/article/20111018/SPORTS0101/110180404/Lions-not-ruling-Jahvid-Best-out-of-Sunday's-game#ixzz1bGpYLDcL

 

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Lions RB Jahvid Best sidelined with 3rd concussion





ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) — Jahvid Best walked across the Detroit Lions locker room, trying to avoid eye contact and conversation.





The running back did slow down slightly, but wouldn't or couldn't answer whether he'll play Sunday against Atlanta.

"I have no idea," Best said Wednesday after missing practice because of a concussion.

Unfortunately for Best and the Lions, timetables are elusive when it comes to concussion, and he says this one is his third. He had one in the second preseason game this year and another in 2009, his final season at California when a spectacular fall sent him to the hospital with a concussion and sore back.

Best was knocked out of Sunday's loss against San Francisco.

"He had a hard time with some of the lights after the game," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said. "Those are signs that you've got to be concerned about and you have to be objective about. We'll have a whole protocol that he has to go through to get back on the field.

"Coming back from a concussion isn't like coming back from a sprained ankle or a bad shoulder or a pulled hamstring. Some of those things you can tough out. You can't tough out a concussion."

Detroit linebacker Justin Durant and tight end Tony Scheffler missed the 49ers game, recovering from concussions of their own, and also didn't practice Wednesday.

With Best out, the Lions (5-1) might need newly acquired Ronnie Brown to learn some plays right away because he may suit up Sunday against the Falcons (3-3) despite not practicing Wednesday. The Philadelphia Eagles have said they dealt Brown to Detroit for Jerome Harrison and an undisclosed pick in the 2013 draft.

Schwartz said Brown can get up to speed quickly because he's a veteran who played in Miami for Lions offensive coordinator Scott Linehan.

Detroit will perhaps rotate Brown with Maurice Morris and Keiland Williams against Atlanta and Schwartz said he likes "a lot" about both.

"Maurice has answered the bell any time its been run for him," Schwartz said. "Keiland has shown some really nice things."

Detroit's depth in the backfield took a hit during the preseason when rookie running back Mikel Leshoure had a season-ending injury. The team has signed running back James Davis to the practice team and released tight end Nathan Overbay from the practice squad.

Best, in his second season out of Cal, has played in all six games this season, rushing 84 times for 390 yards at 4.6 yards per carry and two touchdowns. He also has 27 catches for 287 yards and a score. He has not fumbled.

Brown, backing up LeSean McCoy, ran for 38 yards on 13 carries over six games and had a very memorable fumble in Week 4. On a third-and-1 from the San Francisco 1, he got stuffed at the line on a run-pass option and tried to throw the ball. His fumble contributed to Philadelphia blowing a 20-point lead and losing by one point.

The 6-foot, 230-pound Brown ran for 734 yards and five touchdowns last year with the Dolphins, who drafted him No. 2 overall in 2005 out of Auburn. He has 4,853 yards rushing in his career — 4.3 yards per attempt — and 36 touchdowns along with 184 receptions for 1,491 yards and two scores.

"We think he's an outstanding player that has a good chance to help us down the line here," Schwartz said. "He's a multi-dimensional player. He's big, but he's not just the big back. He can run the perimeter."

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AP Sports Writer Charles Odum in Flowery Branch, Ga., contributed to this report.

 

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FWIW on NFL Live they said Ronnie Brown was not at practice as he was taking a physical. Prolly bumps morris/williams a touch more over Brown id Best s out.