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Nate Burleson was out for the season with a broken leg, and the Lions needed a veteran for this year and beyond in case something happened to Titus Young or Ryan Broyles.
It did – Broyles tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee Sunday and Young has taken up permanent residence in the team's doghouse (both young wideouts are on season-ending injured reserve – and now Thomas has been thrust into the role as the Lions’ No. 2 receiver.
“I kind of figured whenever I got out there it would be good, but things have kind of been a whirlwind,” Thomas said Monday. “Now it’s time to go, so just a lot of work to be done and just get out there and put some good stuff on tape.”
Thomas played sparingly the first three weeks after the trade, but he caught two passes and scored a touchdown in a Thanksgiving loss to the Houston Texans and he saw his most extensive action of the season – 70 snaps – in Sunday’s loss to the Indianapolis Colts.
As previously noted, the Lions signed Kris Durham off their practice squad and added Lance Long to the roster, but Thomas is sure to see the bulk of the playing time at receiver opposite Calvin Johnson. He’s an accomplished pass catcher in the slot, with 44 or more receptions in each of his first three NFL seasons, and he said he’s just starting to find a rhythm with quarterback Matthew Stafford.
“Got to not do what I did last game (and drop a pass),” Thomas said. “But I’m excited about it. Just got to get back to work and really hone in on the details and just put myself in position to make the plays that are given to me and basically just do what I’m supposed to do. Just next man up.”
The job of next man up gets a bit easier when Johnson is the guy opposite you.
As the Sports Xchange notes, Johnson's statistics are gaudy any way you slice them.
But how about this: If you take the last 16 games he's played, which would include the playoff loss to the Saints, he has 122 catches for 2,199 yards and 11 touchdowns. He is the first player in history to post at least 140 receiving yards in four straight games and one of two (Pat Studstill) to post at least 125 in five straight.
For the Lions to have any kind of chance this week, the receivers will have to get the job done -- and Matthew Stafford will have to play a lot better than he did in the 24-20 loss to Green Bay at Ford Field on Nov. 18.
He was 17 for 39 with two interceptions. Don't be surprised if he doesn't come up bigger this time around.