LIONS HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL UPDATE: STAFFORD or RUDOCK

The Detroit Lions will take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday at Raymond James Stadium with kickoff slated for 1:00 p.m. ET. The Lions will be looking to rebound after a 44-20 loss at Baltimore in Week 13. The Buccaneers are looking to bounce back after falling to the Green Bay Packers, 26-20.

The Lions and Buccaneers meet Sunday for the 57th time in series history. The two teams faced off in their inaugural contest on November 20, 1977 as the Lions won, 16-7. In the teams’ most recent meeting on December 7, 2014 the Lions defeated the Buccaneers 34-17 in Detroit. The Lions lead the all-time series, 30-26-0.

TODAY’S INJURY REPORT

• The following players have been listed on the Detroit Lions’ Practice Report today: DE Ezekiel Ansah (ankle), G T.J. Lang (foot), and T Rick Wagner (ankle) did not practice. RB Ameer Abdullah (neck), CB Jamal Agnew (knee), T Emmett Cleary (ankle), T Corey Robinson (foot), QB Matthew Stafford (right hand), C Travis Swanson (knee), and DE Cornelius Washington (shoulder) were limited in practice. DE Dwight Freeney (not injury related), and P Sam Martin (right foot) participated in a full practice.
• The following players have been listed on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ Practice Report today: CB Vernon Hargreaves (hamstring), DT Clinton McDonald (back), S Josh Robinson (hamstring), and S T.J. Ward (concussion) did not practice. DE Ryan Russell (knee) was limited in practice. DE Robert Ayers (concussion), C Joe Hawley (illness), RB Doug Martin (concussion), and QB Jameis Winston (ankle) participated in a full practice.

LIONS HEAD COACH JIM CALDWELL ON…
What he saw from QB Jake Rudock during yesterday’s practice: “Obviously we get a chance to see him every day. I mean he’s working, and in every area he’s improved throughout the year. And I think that’s what you find with a young quarterback, they just continue to get better and he’s improving in all areas.”

How Rudock performed with the first-team offense during practice: “He did well, like he always does.”

What point he needs to see QB Matthew Stafford throw to feel good about playing him in Week 14 at Tampa Bay: “When he’s ready.”

If he would feel comfortable playing Stafford if he does not practice until Saturday: “You asked me—That’s not what you asked me, it’s a follow up question.”

If there is a line of demarcation on making the decision to play Stafford Sunday: “No.”

What the value is for Rudock playing in last week’s game: “Obviously any reps you get in the course of a ballgame’s going to help you one way or another. You’re going to learn from it, it gives you a little bit of experience. It kind of gets the nerves out of there a little bit just in terms of getting a guy familiar with his footing. But he’s played preseason games and those kinds of things, but regular seasons a little bit different. So, that’s helpful, but obviously it’s not much of a sample size for him, it’s just very few, but he’ll be fine.”

Buccaneers Head Coach Dirk Koetters comments about Stafford’s hand injury: “It was in jest.”

LIONS OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR JIM BOB COOTER ON…

How the offense will change if QB Jake Rudock starts at Tampa Bay in Week 14: “I think anytime in this league when the starting quarterback is not playing offenses change traditionally in this league. So, we would adjust to play to Rudock’s strengths, and obviously he hasn’t had a ton of experience, he’s a younger player. We would adjust as needed, but we’ll evaluate that as needed.”

If he would create two different game plans this week: “It would not be two different game plans, no. We’re rocked and ready to go, whenever things happen, different people play, we adjust as we go. That’s every single position. Somebody goes down, you may have something set up specifically for them, sometimes you adjust that for somebody else or kind of make adjustments during the game. It would be no different at the quarterback spot.”

What he attributes Stafford turning the ball over in the past when he is injured: “Well, I’m not going to speak to specific injuries, but every one’s a little bit different. Every one affects a guy a little bit different and we’ll just make sure we’re doing the best thing for our team as we keep an eye on everything. But I’ll leave all the injury specifics to Coach (Caldwell) and Matthew.”

How limited the offense would be if Stafford plays with an injured hand: “We’ll evaluate it and do the best thing to win the game.”

If Stafford has a knack for free plays or if it is something he actively works on: “Well, different teams in the League over the years have sort of used that a little bit to their benefit, or to the defense’s detriment. It’s something we’ve been sort of working on, getting better at and sort of working on a way to go about doing that thing. And I do think Stafford has a knack for it, I mean at the end of the day the players on the field get to see that, and feel that and go execute that. And Stafford’s made several of those this year, and really a couple last year, where we’ve either made some big plays or had a really good shot at a big play. And in this league when you get a free shot at a 45-yard play, that’s hard to beat. So, the players on the field are doing a good job of executing all that and Stafford’s running the show out there.”

Detroit Lions schedule