DETROIT, MI – SEPTEMBER 13: D’Andre Swift #32 of the Detroit Lions (Photo by Nic Antaya/Getty Images)
D’Andre Swift isn’t dwelling on that drop against the Bears.
Detroit Lions running back and former Georgia star D’Andre Swift was about to fulfill a backyard fantasy by scoring the winning touchdown in his first-ever NFL game against the Chicago Bears. Unfortunately, not only did Swift’s Lions lose the game, but they lost after the rookie dropped a game-winning touchdown. While some rookies would be mentally destroyed, Swift seems to have taken the blunder in stride.
Swift is clearly not bothered by the drop, already putting it in the past before confirming that he will learn from that mistake and finish better.
D’Andre Swift had some nice moments in his debut
Swift’s debut was pretty inauspicious, for the most part. With Adrian Peterson handling most of the responsibility on the ground, carrying the ball 14 times for 93 yards, Swift managed just eight yards on three carries, adding 15 yards as a receiver on three receptions. The former Georgia star did manage to plunge into the end zone on a short run early in the game, however. He could’ve been the game-winning hero during his first NFL game if he caught Matthew Stafford’s pass, but fate had other plans.
Stafford has to be pretty pleased with that sort of mental toughness out of a rookie playing in his first game ever. Stafford said if he was given the chance to redo that play, he would throw the ball to Swift 100 times out of 100 before adding he hasn’t lost one shred of confidence in him.
Swift’s time in Athens showed everyone that when he’s in a groove, he is more than capable of being an every-down back. While the disappointing conclusion to his first pro game had to be devastating mentally for him, that hasn’t changed the Lions’ plans for him down the road.