Nate Burleson is coming off his best game of the season with the Detroit Lions after exploiting the defense of the Washington Redskins. Unfortunately, that might be his last bite of action for some time after it was reported Burleson suffered a broken arm in a car accident.
The Detroit Free Press reports Burleson was driving home after watching the Monday Night Football game and was involved in a car accident. Police report that no alcohol was involved in the single-car crash. The accident occurred at 2:25 a.m. on I-696 in Michigan.
"Lions wide receiver Nate Burleson was involved in a one car accident overnight," a DetroitLions.com statement read. "Burleson suffered a broken arm and will undergo surgery today. Police confirm there was no alcohol involved. We will provide appropriate updates when more information on Burleson's condition becomes available."
On Sunday against the Redskins, Burleson had his best outings in years after putting up 116 yards on six receptions. He has 239 yards on the year, but has zero touchdowns. Burleson was looking in top form playing alongside Calvin Johnson as the 32-year old led the team in receptions through three games. In his place, second-year receiver Ryan Broyles is likely to get an increased amount of production.
The Lions were looking to ease Broyles back into playing after the receiver suffered a torn ACL in December of last year. The young receiver only has three catches on the season, but could easily fill the shoes of Burleson if given the opportunity. Prior to getting injured, Broyles stepped in for the ailing Burleson and Titus Young last season. Becoming a starter in Week 7, Broyles averaged 36 yards per game before exploding for 126 yards on six catches against the Houston Texans.
Broyles is now 100 percent healthy and that type of potential could make him a strong addition for the Lions. He was a star in college and with Matthew Stafford throwing the ball to him, replacing the injured Burleson should not be an issue. Broyles will step up as the primary slot receiver, while Johnson remains the top target. When defenses double-team Megatron, Broyles should be a reliable No. 2.
