Detroit Lions notes: Zenner excels once again; finger no excuse for Stafford

Detroit Lions fullback Zach Zenner (34) is tackled by Green Bay Packers inside linebacker Jake Ryan (47) during the first half of an NFL football game, Sunday, Jan. 1, 2017, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

By Paula Pasche | The Oakland Press

PUBLISHED: January 2, 2017 at 1:08 a.m. | UPDATED: June 17, 2021 at 6:36 a.m.

DETROIT >> Zach Zenner carried the load in the first half and was a big part of the reason Detroit held a 14-10 edge at the half.

The running back set a career high with 20 carries and another with 69 rushing yards. He also had four catches for 41 yards in the 31-24 loss to the Green Bay Packers.

PHOTOS FROM LIONS 31-24 LOSS TO PACKERS

“He ran the ball well, ran it tough. And you’re right, he does a lot of things for us – in the kicking game as well, but he’s a workhorse,” coach Jim Caldwell said. “He can get his shoulders square, he finds seams, he can catch the ball for us. He does a lot of things well.”

It was the second week that Zenner was the No. 1 running back. In fact in the loss, he was the only running back used although Golden Tate had one carry for seven yards.

Zenner has really improved from the first half of the season.

“He is one of those guys that I think just, he’s very smart, very cerebral and always finds a way to try to work to get better,” Caldwell said. “He has a good sene of self. He knows what’s best for him, in terms of how he runs. He finds seams, and, you know, he’s a tough, hard-nosed guy that’s active.”

Dwayne Washington and Joique Bell were active on Sunday night, but did not carry the ball.

Zenner said emotions in the locker room were not mixed. The Lions clinched a playoff berth but lost out on the division title.

“This is disappointing. I’m personally disappointed and I’m sure as a team we’re all disappointed that we didn’t get this done,” Zenner said. “But tomorrow they also won’t be mixed. We’ve got to move on, we’ve got to get ready for the next game. But tonight, we’ll be disappointed for sure.”

All about the finger

Matthew Stafford, who wore a glove on his throwing hand for the third straight game, said he will have to wear it on Sunday in Seattle. The glove protects the splint on the dislocated middle finger of his right hand.

Again, he does not use it for an excuse even though a few of his passe seemed to sail uncharacteristically.

“I think I’ve said this all along, this guy has thrown millions of balls without a glove on his hand or without an apparatus on his finger,” Caldwell said. “It’s naive for me to think that doesn’t have some kind of effect, it does. But does it keep us from winning? No. Did he throw a lit of great balls? Absolutely.”

This and that

Golden Tate led the receivers with six catches for 77 yards and a touchdown. … Wide receiver Marvin Jones left the game in the second half to be checked for a concussion. He had five catches for 76 yards. … Darius Slay led the defense with eight tackles. Glover Quin, Tahir Whitehead and Tavon Wilson each had seven. … Wilson had the only sack.

Ins and outs

Against the Packers, the Lions were without right tackle Riley Reiff (hip) who was a late addition to the injury report on Saturday. Corey Robinson got the start for Reiff.

Center Travis Swanson (concussion), who was designated as doubtful on Friday, was also out. Graham Glasgow started in his place for the fourth straight game.

Slay, who turned 26 on Sunday, was active after he missed the game at Dallas with a hamstring injury.

Running back Theo Riddick, who missed the last three games with a wrist injury, was placed on injured reserve on Saturday.

Rookie wide receiver Jace Billingsley, who was promoted from the practice squad on Saturday, wa not active. He has not played a regular season snap in the NFL.

Other Lions’ inactives were: quarterback Jake Rudock, defensive tackle Antoine Williams, cornerback Alex Carter and fullback Michael Burton.