Detroit Lions replacement quarterback Jeff Driskel is battling a hamstring injury that could put his availability for Thursday's Thanksgiving tilt against the Chicago Bears in jeopardy.
The signal-caller was listed as limited in Tuesday's practice, but said he's "definitely gotten better each and every day." The team officially listed him as questionable on Wednesday.
Driskel replaced starter Matthew Stafford the past three weeks, all Lions losses. If he cannot go Thursday, America would be treated to David Blough as their Thanksgiving appetizer.
"He's pretty sore still today," Lions coach Matt Patricia said Tuesday of Driskel, via the Detroit Free Press. "We were talking about it this morning, but he was walking around better, which is good."
One of Driskel's best attributes the past several weeks has been his ability to make hay with his legs, which added a missing element to a previously dull Detroit run game. Driskel said that if he's able to play, his hamstring injury shouldn't affect his running ability.
"It's one of those deals where if you're out on the field you can't think about that," he said. "You've got to be able to just go let it rip, so that's kind of my thought on that."
Driskel has performed about as well as you'd expect from a backup quarterback thrust into an untenable situation on a three-win team. He's made some plays with his legs, taken too few shots downfield, relied on checkdowns, occasionally moved the ball, and made a couple brutal errors, including last week's game-deciding interception late in a loss to the Redskins.
Still, as long as Stafford is out -- which could be up to six weeks, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport previously reported -- Driskel remains the Lions' best option on the roster.
"It's really day-by-day for us because of the short week," Patricia said. "I think he's doing everything he can so that he can get out there, but we'll see when we get to that point. That's why we're just taking it one step at a time."
