The Detroit Lions take on the Cowboys in Dallas on Sunday, with freelance sports writers Dave Birkett and Carlos Monarres breaking it.
Carlos Monarres and Dave Birkett, Detroit Free Press
The injury to Matthew Stafford's back is more severe than the Detroit Lions have released.
While Lions coach Matt Patricia calls Stafford "day to day" and "week to week" with a hamstring that will keep him in the second straight game Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, ESPN reports that doctors have told Stafford that he is coping with a "six week injury". quarter of the Lions' Week 9 loss to the Oakland Raiders.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford watches from the sidelines during a warm-up before an NFL football game Chicago Bears in Chicago, Sunday, November 10, 2019. (Photo: Charles Rex Arbogast, AP)
He practices limited next week, but is sent for testing at the end of the week, after which doctors estimate he is not safe to play in Week 10 matchup against Chicago Bears.
A number of NFL recruits have missed time with back injuries in recent seasons.
Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo received a compression fracture in the back. in the 2016 preseason that made him miss 10 weeks. Duck Prescott replaced Romo as a starter during the injury and never quit.
Kam Newton suffered two transverse fractures in a car accident in 2014, missed one injury game and returned for the last two weeks of the regular season and the playoffs.
Stafford had a series of 136 consecutive starts snapping against the Bears. If he needs a full six-week recovery from this injury, he can return for the Lions' last two games, Dec. 22 against the Denver Broncos and Dec. 29 against the Green Bay Packers. Cody Latimer during the first half of Ford Field in Detroit, Sunday, October 27, 2019. "width =" 180 "data-mycapture-src =" https://www.gannett-cdn.com/presto/2019/10/27 /PDTF/7d349c58-8be2-4a62-96f2-608739f908a8-10272019_lions_1sthalf-14.jpg?crop=1101,2352,x451,y48 "data-mycapture-sm-src =" https://www.gannett-cdn.com/ presto / 2019/10/27 / PDTF / 7d349c58-8be2-4a62-96f2-608739f908a8-10272019_lions_1sthalf-14.jpg? crop = 1101,2352, x451, y48 "/>
Trace Walker's Protective Back Trying to Walk catches the ball behind New York Giants wide receiver Cody Latimer during Ford Field's first half at Detroit, Sunday, October 27, 2019. (Photo: Junfu Han, Detroit Free Press)
(exists) "to Stafford returned this season, but he declined to share details.
"He's doing great," said Patricia. "He's fine. Normally. Grinding. Lots of learning, preparation for the journey, helping everyone around it, and preparation that is great. It just keeps everything consistent for us. he is the same old man who is preparing to play a game. ”
Along with Stafford, the Lions make offensive liners Rick Wagner (concussion), Dan Skipper and Bo Benzschauel, defense liners Da Sean Hand (ankle) and Romeo
Safety Tracy Walker is active and expected for the first time since injuring his knee in a Week 8 game against the New York Giants. Walker returned to practice for the first time on Friday.
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett. Read more about the Lions in Detroit and sign up for our Lions newsletter.