ALLEN PARK -- When the Detroit Lions' list of inactive players came out against the New Orleans Saints, many were left to do a double-take at the sight of Cornelius Washington's name on the list.

The Lions defensive end said he had a similar reaction only moments before that.

It's been a week since the Lions sat Washington in a 52-38 loss to the New Orleans Saints. Then the bye week came, giving him time to ponder why he was inactive for the first time in six games.

"I feel like it probably had something to do with our O-Line situation, but I don't make those decisions. I just work here," Washington said.

"Do you know something I don't?"

The Lions did have a back injury to Pro Bowl right guard TJ Lang that flared up at the last minute, but they made him inactive and went with just one backup guard and tackle each for the game.

In his first season with the Lions after spending the past four with the Chicago Bears, Washington played between 39 and 53 percent of the defensive snaps in each of the first five games. He has yet to record a sack but has been one of Detroit's best at setting the edge against the run. The Lions ranked third in the league in run defense through Washington's five active games, but they were gashed for 193 yards and two touchdowns, largely on outside runs.

Washington said he isn't aware that he fell out of any coaches' good graces, though he hasn't spoken much to them about the decision to make him one of the seven inactive players that day. He's typically a fiery player, but he said he hasn't carried any emotions over into practice from the first game he had to sit out this year.

"I don't know what the issue was," he said. "I don't know what problem to fix, if there was a problem to fix."

The Lions are coming off a bye week that coach Jim Caldwell said was largely about self-scouting all the spots where they need to improve following a 3-3 start. If they have any major concerns with Washington, he's still waiting to hear what they are.