It's Time for the Detroit Lions to Shut Down Calvin Johnson

It's not often when an argument can be made for an NFL team to stop playing its top weapon, but that is exactly what the Detroit Lions need to do with All-Pro wideout Calvin Johnson. 

The star wide receiver has done next to nothing in the last two weeks since being injured on the final drive of the win over the Green Bay Packers in Week 3.

	Catches	Yards	Targets
Weeks 1-3	19	329	34
Week 4	2	12	2
Week 5	1	7	1

Detroit got away with using him as a decoy in the win in New York, but the Buffalo Bills did not bite on the fake lure. A week after the offense still functioned acceptably with Megatron limited, it ground to a halt against Buffalo.

Johnson was clearly not even close to 100 percent. He was unable to burst off the line or create separation while he was in the game. In fact, he was downright invisible in the first half:

"

No targets for Calvin Johnson in the entire first half #BUFvsDET

— Jeff Risdon (@JeffRisdon) October 5, 2014"

The Bills defense clearly had no problem with this. Detroit managed just six first downs and 3.5 yards per play in the first half, including just 58 passing yards.

Johnson finally caught his first pass on Detroit's second play of the third quarter...and aggravated the nagging ankle injury even further. He did not return. Coach Jim Caldwell offered this when asked in his postgame press conference:

"

Caldwell said Calvin Johnson "took a pretty good whack on his leg." Waiting for updates on him and Reggie Bush.

— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) October 5, 2014"

As painful as it was to watch the sheer ineptitude of the toothless Detroit offense in his absence, it's a medicine the Lions must take for a couple weeks. Johnson should not play again until he is back to his 100 percent-amazing old self. 

The timing is right to let Johnson rest. A look at the schedule reveals some manageable situations for the Detroit offense sans Megatron. Here are the upcoming defenses on Detroit's docket:

Opponent	QB Rating Allowed	Def. Pass Yard	Pts. Per Game
Minnesota	96.5	226 per game	25.2
New Orleans	105.7	272.5	27.5
Atlanta	93.3	276.2	28.2

*Minnesota's stats are through five games; all others are through four.

The game against Atlanta is in London, which leads into Detroit's bye week. Shutting Johnson down for those three games would give him five full weeks of rest before the stretch run begins in Week 11. 

All three of those games are winnable without Johnson. Seriously. Of course the team needs a new kicker, and it would be nice if Reggie Bush and Joique Bell both weren't hurt as well. But there is still enough talent in Detroit to steal any of those games. The Lions showed that ability against the New York Jets.

More realistically, the Lions can win one of those games and hit the bye with a 4-4 record. That is still very much in the thick of the playoff chase and the NFC North division crown. 

Having Johnson back at full strength to make that playoff push is more important than trying to milk a few plays and meager production out of his injured body in the short term. The goal isn't to just barely make the playoffs and limp out with a crushing loss.

Grant Halverson/Getty Images

That happened in 2011, and it wasn't good enough then. This Lions team is built to win now. Having the best wide receiver in the league challenging defenses and making plays is the only way this Lions team will pick up that ever-elusive playoff victory.

A healthy Johnson gives the Lions a fighting chance to beat anyone in a playoff game. If he's limited, even less severely than he has been the last two weeks, this Detroit team stands no chance of winning in January. 

It's worth taking a loss or two in October if it means Matthew Stafford taking snaps in victory formation in the playoffs. That's why the Lions need to send Megatron to the shop for a few weeks.