Lions WR Johnson inactive

The Sports Xchange

GREEN BAY, Wisc. -- The Detroit Lions will be without wide receiver Calvin Johnson for Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field.

Johnson sat out practice on Wednesday and Thursday with a sore knee but was limited on Friday. He was listed as questionable on the injury report.

Johnson leads the team with 21 catches for 312 yards and four touchdowns. When Johnson went over 8,000 career receiving yards in Week 3 at Washington, he became just the fifth receiver in NFL history to do that in less than 100 games. Since entering the league in 2007, Johnson is first in receiving yards (8,148), receiving touchdowns (58) and 25-yard gains (77).

"He's rare," cornerbacks coach Joe Whitt said. "One thing I know is I got here in '08 but took over the group in '09, he's developed into a route runner, which he wasn't early on in his career. He can really run the spin dig. Early on in his career, he was a slant and fade guy and a five-and-in guy. Now, he can run the route tree. He can drop his weight. He's great after the catch, which he's always been, but him moving inside and doing the things that they're doing in the offense has made him just so much more difficult, and that's why he had the type of season he had last year. He's going to have those type of seasons because he's a rare guy and he's developing his skills."

It is obviously a huge loss for the Lions, who have lost 22 consecutive games in Wisconsin and are attempting to take control of the NFC North. A win will put them at 4-1 overall and 3-0 in the division.

With Nate Burleson already out with a broken forearm, the Lions are incredibly thin at receiver. They had combined for 40 of the 50 receptions from their receivers. That leaves Kris Durham as the Lions' top receiver -- with just four catches this season.

Also out for Detroit: quarterback Kellen Moore, running back Mikel Leshoure, cornerback Jonte Green, guard Leroy Harris and tackle LaAdrian Waddle.

Out for Green Bay are cornerback Casey Hayward (hamstring), running back James Starks (knee), outside linebacker Nate Palmer, guard/center Greg Van Roten (foot), tight end Brandon Bostick and defensive ends C.J. Wilson and Josh Boyd.