Joique Bell Injury: X-Rays negative

Detroit Lions running back Joique Bell (35) runs with the ball past Washington Redskins defensive end Phillip Merling (93) in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Lions won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions No. 2 RB Joique Bell left yesterday’s win over the Cleveland Browns with a rib injury, and Bell had a pretty quiet day with just 25 yards on seven carries and one reception for eight yards. The Detroit News’s Chris McCosky reports that the X-rays on his rib following the game were negative, but Bell isn’t in the clear yet either. He will likely be re-examined today, and it sounds like he avoided a significant injury. Bell was joking around and having fun on the flight back from Cleveland, but today’s tests will likely have the final word on his status.

He said of the injury, “It just popped out. The x-rays came back negative, so I’ll just take it day by day, do the proper rehab for it and try to get back as soon as possible.”

Bell stated after the game that he was “bent backwards” when he was at the bottom of the pile, but I still don’t expect the Lions No. 2 back to miss next week’s big game against the Cincinnati Bengals. The key is hoping that tests don’t reveal a rib fracture to the 27-year-old. Joique Bell has 23 receptions for 245 yards this season, and he also has three rushing touchdowns as the Lions top choice for goal-line carries. His work in short-yardage situations is the main reason why he is averaging just 3.3 yards per rush.

You can follow Joe Soriano on Twitter for more NFL updates and analysis @SorianoJoe. Be sure to like us on Facebook here and follow our site on Twitter as well.