Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

It's the simplest play in football - the kneel down - but for the Detroit Lions, it may have turned costly at the end of Sunday's 31-28 win over the Los Angeles Rams.

Starting center Travis Swanson walked away from the final kneel-down snap of Sunday's game flexing his right hand.

Swanson went for X-rays after the game, and had a soft wrap and big icebag on his hand as he boarded an elevator to leave Ford Field.

"Another day at work," Swanson said when asked about his trip to the X-ray room. "I didn’t (get injured). I just wanted to go check in on everyone, see how they’re doing. See if they enjoyed the game."

The Lions ran two kneel-down plays to kill the clock after safety Rafael Bush intercepted a Case Keenum pass with 1:01 to play to clinch their second straight victory.

But rather than let the Lions take the final 61 seconds off the clock as is customary, the Rams, who had no timeouts left, dove at Swanson's legs at the snap in an effort to force a turnover.

Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford came away from the first snap hobbling after a teammate appeared to step on his right ankle, and Swanson and several other players from both teams exchanged shoves after the second snap.

"I wasn't real fired up about what happened on the first one," Stafford said. "We took the second knee, and I'm sure that didn't feel any better for them so I just let them know how I felt about it."

Lions coach Jim Caldwell declined comment about Swanson's injury after the game.

The Lions played Sunday without starting right guard Larry Warford because of a hip injury. Left guard Laken Tomlinson moved to right guard in Warford's absence, and rookie Graham Glasgow started at left guard.

"I thought the percentages showed that we had that game at that point," Lions receiver Golden Tate said. "And I just looked up and (Stafford) was limping so I got a little worried. I don't know what happened. I'm assuming it was legal if they didn't call a flag, but I got to appreciate the character and the discipline that our guys had after that play and the next play. Things got a little aggressive in there. I don't know whose fault it was, but the fact that we understand, you look at the scoreboard, we have the win. We don't need to play stupid football or get in a fight. So I appreciate the guys staying focused."

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