D’Andre Swift had more rushing yards in the Detroit Lions’ Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles than he has the rest of the season combined.
Swift has dealt with shoulder and ankle injuries most of the season. He has missed three games, played sparingly in two others, and admitted Wednesday he has grown increasingly frustrated with his inability to stay on the field.
“It’s tough,” Swift told the Free Press. “But where I’m at right now is like, I can’t miss no games. I’ve missed more than enough time, so I’m at the mindset now where I’m going to just keep pushing through and just keep being able to do what I can for my teammates, try to win games. And trying to be a part of something special here, so that includes me pushing through and doing whatever I can.”
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The Lions have limited Swift’s workload in practice and games since late September to manage an injury situation that appears unlikely to subside this season.
Since spraining his ankle in the first half of his 15-carry, career-high 144-yard rushing day against the Eagles, Swift has 109 yards on 25 carries.
He sprained his shoulder in a Week 3 loss to the Minnesota Vikings, sat out the next month, including the Lions’ bye week, and has 13 carries for 22 yards in three games since his return − a loss to the Miami Dolphins and wins over the Green Bay Packers and Chicago Bears.
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Lions offensive coordinator Ben Johnson said Swift “got pissed off a little bit” at his lack of playing time against the Packers, when he averaged 10 yards per touch but was limited to two carries (for 10 yards) and three catches in four targets (for 40 yards) while playing 10 snaps.
Jamaal Williams, who has emerged as the Lions’ lead back in Swift’s absence, logged a season-high 24 carries against the Packers in a run-heavy gameplan, and Justin Jackson had 13 snaps after Craig Reynolds left with an injury.
“I’m in a tough spot because I know I’m not where I want to be physically with the injuries and everything like that, so it’s kind of, it is what it is with the injuries,” Swift said. “But as far as my role, I’m just out there trying to contribute anyway possible. Ultimately, I’m trying to win and me being out there one play, 15 plays, whatever it may be, I feel like I can affect the game a little bit.”
In last week’s win over the Bears, when the Lions scripted a pass to Swift on their first offensive play, Swift said he felt good enough that he went to Johnson in the second half and asked for more touches.
Johnson put Swift in the game not long after, and called his number on a 9-yard touchdown run that Swift said probably would have gone to another running back a week earlier.
“I felt like, what I was tagged on and what I was playing early on in the game, I felt fine so I went to Ben like, ‘Coach, I feel good. Try to let me work a little bit, try to get me going a little bit,’” Swift said. “Called the play, got in the red zone, great job offensive line, walked right in. Stuff like that, I just got to communicate with them how I’m feeling.”
Swift, who missed seven games his first two seasons with knee and shoulder injuries, said he is not bothered by the perception he’s injury-prone – “I’m not injury prone. It’s football. It’s a violent game,” he said – and declined to detail how the injuries have affected him on the field.
He said he is wearing extra protective padding on his shoulder and “doing everything I can” from a rehab and equipment standpoint to get healthy, but acknowledged that likely won’t happen until the offseason.
“Any days (off) help, but I know I need time but I don’t have the time right now to sit down and allow myself to heal, and that’s fine,” he said. “I’m trying to win games. The mindset I’m in right now is like it is what it is. I got to deal with it, try to make it work the best way I can.”
If that means playing fewer snaps than he’d like, Swift said he’s OK with that, he just has to make those snaps count.
“It’s better than being on the sideline, not dressed up,” he said. “And whatever role they had for me, I’m going to embrace it, do it to the best of my ability, focus on the little details and stuff like that, and try to affect the game still. Still trying to be myself with what’s going on.”
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.