Reports: Lions RB Johnson nursing sprained knee

Detroit Lions rookie running back Kerryon Johnson suffered a sprained knee against the Carolina Panthers, multiple media outlets reported on Monday. Johnson rushed for 87 yards and a touchdown before exiting in the second half of Sunday's 20-19 win over the Carolina Panthers. The 21-year-old was injured on a run in which he cut to the left side of the field before being tackled near the sideline for a 3-yard gain. "I think again for us -- maybe I mentioned this last night or something -- we just try to get through last night, get to today, try to get everything evaluated and we'll take it day-by-day," Lions coach Matt Patricia said at his Monday press conference. "We'll see how it goes. We just have to stay even keel with all of it and make sure we prepare like we're just pushing forward." Johnson has recorded 118 carries for a team-leading 641 yards and three touchdowns in 10 games since being selected in the second round of the 2018 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-11, 206-pound Johnson also has 32 receptions for 213 yards and one score. Short-yardage back LeGarrette Blount and Theo Riddick are expected to pick up the slack should Johnson be sidelined for the Lions (4-6), who host the Chicago Bears (7-3) on Thanksgiving (12:30 p.m. ET). "Certainly, Kerryon has a skill set that's great, just like a lot of our other guys do and try to do best we can to exploit the skillsets of the players that are out there," Patricia said. "I think we have good players, we have dynamic guys, guys that can make plays in different ways and it's not cookie cutter. "Football is not that way. When you have a different player that's in and in the same position, it doesn't mean that they can do the same thing. You have to be able to adjust with that and do a good job of handling that, whatever the situation is, whoever those guys are." Detroit sent the 51st overall pick and a fourth-round selection (No. 117) to the New England Patriots in exchange for the rights to snare Johnson, the SEC Offensive Player of the Year last season. Johnson rushed for 1,391 yards and 18 touchdowns in 2017 for Auburn, including 11 scores in a three-game span. --WR Kenny Golladay caught eight passes for 113 yards, including the game-winning 19-yarder in the fourth quarter. --QB Matthew Stafford was 23-for-37 for 220 yards and one touchdown against the Panthers. --WR Bruce Ellington caught six passes for 52 yards in his first game with the Lions. --K Matt Prater was perfect against the Panthers. He kicked two field goals, with a long of 54 yards, and made both his extra points. --P Sam Martin 46.8 yards on six kicks on Sunday, putting three inside the 20-yard line.