Lions K Jason Hanson (right knee) was placed on season-ending IR Thursday. The Lions needed a roster spot with both Matthew Stafford and now Shaun Hill injured but not on IR. Hanson is expected to return next year, but for now Dave Rayner will handle the kicking duties.

Lions K Jason Hanson (right knee) was placed on season-ending IR Thursday. The Lions needed a roster spot with both Matthew Stafford and now Shaun Hill injured but not on IR. Hanson is expected to return next year, but for now Dave Rayner will handle the kicking duties.

The Lions have placed K Jason Hanson on injured reserve. Dave Rayner will handle kicking duties for the rest of the season. The Lions needed the roster spot with both Matthew Stafford and Shaun Hill out but not on IR. Hanson is expected to return for 2011.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford is ready to resume light throwing, he said today, putting him on about the same timetable to return from a right shoulder injury as he followed earlier this year.

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“Hopefully, I might try and do a little bit of light throwing this week and see how it feels,” Stafford said during his regular appearance on the “Mitch Albom Show” on WJR-AM (760).

Stafford has not played since separating his throwing shoulder just over three weeks ago, in the fourth quarter of a Nov. 7 loss to the Jets.

He missed five games and six weeks with a similar injury earlier this year and played catch in front of reporters for the first time 3 1/2 weeks after that injury.

Stafford said it’s tough to compare how he feels now with when he hurt his shoulder in September.

“I think I’ll know more, probably, by the end of this week, early next week — just kind of see how it reacts to throwing and all that kind of stuff,” he said.

New England Patriots

Questionable
QB Tom Brady (right shoulder, foot), T Mark LeVoir (elbow), G Steve Neal (shoulder), S Jarrad Page (calf), DT Myron Pryor (back), RB Fred Taylor (toe), CB Jonathan Wilhite (hip), DE Mike Wright (neck, concussion)

Detroit Lions

Out
K Jason Hanson (right knee), DE Lawrence Jackson (concussion), QB Matthew Stafford (right shoulder)

Doubtful
TE Tony Scheffler (rib)

Questionable
DE Cliff Avril (quadricep), LB Isaiah Ekejiuba (knee), C Dylan Gandy (calf), DT Corey Williams (shoulder)

Probable
RB Jahvid Best (toe), QB Shaun Hill (quadricep), LB DeAndre Levy (groin), DE Kyle Vanden Bosch (knee)

New Orleans Saints

Out
RB Ladell Betts (neck, head), RB Pierre Thomas (ankle)

Questionable
RB Reggie Bush (fibula), S Malcolm Jenkins (neck), S Darren Sharper (hamstring), TE Jeremy Shockey (rib)

Probable
T Jermon Bushrod (knee), DT Sedrick Ellis (quadricep), DE Junior Galette (shoulder), C Jonathan Goodwin (back), DT Tony Hargrove (knee), RB Chris Ivory (shoulder, knee), CB Patrick Robinson (ankle), S Usama Young (calf)

Dallas Cowboys

Out
DE Sean Lissemore (ankle), QB Tony Romo (left shoulder)

Questionable
RB Felix Jones (hip)

Probable
LB Bradie James (knee), CB Terence Newman (ankle)

Cincinnati Bengals

Out
DE Antwan Odom (wrist), S Roy Williams (head)

Questionable
CB Brandon Ghee (groin), CB Johnathan Joseph (ankle), CB Rico Murray (ankle)

Probable
QB Carson Palmer (foot), T Dennis Roland (knee)

New York Jets

Out
WR Jerricho Cotchery (groin), CB Dwight Lowery (concussion)

Questionable
CB Marquice Cole (hamstring), CB Drew Coleman (groin), T Damien Woody (knee)

Probable
DE Shaun Ellis (knee), LB David Harris (calf), S James Ihedigbo (neck), C Nick Mangold (shoulder), LB Calvin Pace (foot), DT Sione Pouha (ankle), CB Darrelle Revis (hamstring), QB Mark Sanchez (calf), G Matt Slauson (knee), WR Brad Smith (back)

Matthew Stafford wants to play again this year. Whether he does or not depends on how soon his separated right shoulder heals.

"If I'm healthy I'm going to be out there, that's the way I see it," Stafford said Wednesday. "I don't care if it's first game of the season, last game of the season, doesn't matter to me. I don't care what our record is, if I'm healthy I'm playing."

Stafford will miss his second straight game and seventh of the season Sunday against his hometown Dallas Cowboys, but the Highland Park, Texas, native got good news this week when the Lions decided not to place him on injured reserve.

Stafford visited noted orthopedic surgeon Dr. James Andrews on Monday. Andrews confirmed the team's diagnosis that surgery isn't necessary for now.

"It's nice to know that rehab's the option here," Stafford said. "Try to do the best that I can and get as strong as I possibly can and get back out there."

Including quarterback Matthew Stafford and kicker Jason Hanson, who were not expected to play on Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys, the Detroit Lions were missing eight starters from practice.

The Lions were missing three other players on offense - receiver Calvin Johnson, tight end Tony Scheffler and running back Jahvid Best - while, defensively, defensive tackle Corey Williams, defensive end Cliff Avril and linebacker DeAndre Levy did not practice.

Lions QB Matthew Stafford will continue to rehab his separated right shoulder, but Lions coach Jim Schwartz said on his weekly radio show this morning the team won’t rush its franchise quarterback’s return to the field.

“He’s not going to go back on the field until he’s, No. 1, able to throw without restriction and make all the throws, and, No. 2, until he’s able to take a hit on that shoulder,” Schwartz said in an interview on 97.1 WXYT-FM. “So very similar to the first time when we rehabbed him. We’ll try to keep the same kind of criteria, keep the timetable… and just let him come back as the injury dictates.”

Stafford visited Birmingham, Ala.-based surgeon Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion on his injury Monday. Andrews told Stafford he didn’t need surgery and could continue on a rehab plan.

Lions say Dr. Andrews concurs with the team's medical staff on Lions QB Matthew Stafford's shoulder injury. He will continue rehab. No surgery yet.

Lions QB Shaun Hill starts again for the Lions with Matthew Stafford out with a shoulder injury. Hill will wear a glove on his left hand and also have a cast to protect his left forearm that was broken three weeks ago. He is wearing the glove because his hand has lost strength since the injury. He may also not run as much because of his forearm, fearing further injury if he’s sliding out there. In Hill’s five starts, the Lions have averaged 26 points a game and he’s thrown nine TD passes.