ALLEN PARK, Mich. – For the third straight year, Ryan Broyles has suffered a severe season-ending injury.
This time, it happened on a seemingly harmless play during the Detroit Lions’ 31-30 victory Sunday over Dallas.
Broyles ruptured his right Achilles tendon while making a fair catch early in the second half on a ball he let go, resulting in a touchback.
"We’ve seen a bunch of Achilles that it doesn’t look like very much, just a little bit of change in direction," Lions coach Jim Schwartz said Monday during his weekly news conference. "It wasn’t explosive movement.
"I’ve seen too many Achilles injuries that you would look at it and say ‘Geez, that was it?’"
Broyles is scheduled to undergo surgery Tuesday. Schwartz wouldn’t speculate on any type of timetable for Broyles’ recovery.
Two years ago, as a senior at Oklahoma, Broyles tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during a game against Texas A&M on November 5.
Last season, as a Lions’ rookie, it was a torn ACL in the right knee against Indianapolis on December 2.
"The battle seems endless but I will not be shaken," Broyles wrote in a message posted Monday on Twitter.
Broyles was a controversial second-round draft pick in 2012 at a time when many fans and analysts believed the Lions should have been looking for help defensively.
He played in 10 games last season and made 22 catches for 300 yards and two touchdowns.
This year, he finished with eight receptions for 85 yards and no scores.
"Those are not easy things to come back from," Schwartz said of the Achilles’ injury. "But he’s a tough guy. If anybody can come back from it, he can.
"His experience in going through (season-ending injuries), I’m sure will help. It’s a tough thing for any player, much less three years in a row.
"These guys make their livings with their bodies. They’re all just one play away from having their season over. That’s one of the things these guys have to deal with on a daily basis. It’s a different mindset.
"We have confidence in Ryan. He’ll find a way to get back and contribute to our team."
Fortunately for the Lions, it comes at a time when another slot receiver, Nate Burleson, is close to returning from a broken arm.
Burleson has missed the last five games after suffering the injury in a car accident last month. He has been pointing to a November 10 return – the Lions’ next game – at Chicago.
Schwartz wouldn’t comment on whether Burleson will be back in practice this week or next week.
"It’s too soon to know when Nate’s going to be able to return," Schwartz said. "Nate’s timetable will be based on his health, not because of the health of any other player. We’re not going to rush him back because Broyles is out."
EXTRA POINTS
--- Schwartz, explaining rookie tight end Joseph Fauria’s limited playing time, even in the red zone: "Every week is going to be a little bit different. We used a lot of three wide-receiver personnel. It only keeps one tight end (Brandon Pettigrew) on the field.
That’s no reflection of him (Fauria). He wasn’t benched or de-emphasized. We wanted to keep them (Dallas’ defense) in nickel (five defensive backs) packages."
--- Schwartz, on the affects that Lions’ comeback, won on Matthew Stafford’s 1-yard run with 12 seconds remaining, could have on the club going forward: "I don’t think anybody’s going to be carrying a rallying flag that says, ‘Remember the Cowboy game.’
"There is confidence that goes with knowing that you can come back in games, but I think this team has always had that. I think this team has always battled to the very end."
--- Schwartz, on how they overcame four turnovers when the Cowboys committed none:
"When you’re minus-four in turnovers and you still win the game, you had to play very well in a lot of other areas and we did. You don’t just have four turnovers, play mediocre and win the game.
"We had 623 yards of total offense. Our defense was outstanding on third down. We limited their playmakers. The two guys we thought were their biggest playmakers were Dez Bryant and Jason Witten and they had five catches between them."
--- Schwartz, on many fans leaving early and missing the game-winning score:
"Everybody’s got things to do. I had a daughter who was playing soccer yesterday that ended up leaving early. I’m sure she would have liked to have stayed, but she has a commitment to her team also.
"We have great fans. They were there for us at the end of the game."
--- Schwartz, on Calvin Johnson, who caught 14 passes for 329 yards: "When he’s covered, he’s still open."
