Lions Notes: Stafford improving; Morris could start at RB

As expected, Shaun Hill will start at quarterback for the third straight week in place of Matthew Stafford (right shoulder) for Detroit.

"Matt is making great progress and doing a great job on his rehab," Schwartz said. "But he won't be ready this week."

As expected, Stafford apparently has thrown, but Schwartz wasn't providing any details.

"He's doing more and more," Schwartz said. "There's a lot of steps through that (throwing the ball). There's range of motion stuff, there's different objects, there's active throwing and there's working with a receiver. I don't want to go into where he is in that progression.

"It's not pain level or comfort level. It's about his throwing motion and ability to make throws."

Morris
Rookie running back Jahvid Best (toe) was one of five starters kept out of practice Wednesday.

He probably won't practice much, if at all, this week, though he still might play Sunday.

"There is a difference between pain and being able to do your job," Schwartz said. "He's played with a lot of pain in his career. He played with a dislocated elbow in college. But that's a pain situation. He could still run. When you are talking about his foot, you are talking about affecting his ability to run."

Maurice Morris will probably start in his place, and Kevin Smith (ACL) is expected to be active for the first time this year.

Fantasy Impact: 

The Detroit running game is probably one to stay away from if Best doesn't start, despite the Pack giving up 116 yards a game on average so far this year.

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