The Detroit Zoo doesn’t have elephants, but there is a giant pachyderm in the Motor City. It’s an elephant in the room nobody wants to even think about acknowledging, but it’s time to say it.
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Calvin Johnson is not the same player he used to be.
And with all the damage his body has taken, it’s not likely Megatron will ever transform back into the megatalent everyone expects him to be anymore.
Sunday’s loss in New England is the latest example of Johnson’s small but perceptible slide from superhuman to mortal. When coupled with the Week 11 loss in Arizona, it’s one of the poorest two-game stretches in Johnson’s eight-year career.
How long was Calvin suspended for?
Former Lions receiver Calvin Johnson spent nine seasons in the NFL, and although he was never suspended during his career, he definitely could have been, and that’s because he used to break one certain NFL rule after every game.
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The Detroit News
How many passes has Calvin Johnson dropped?
According to Pro Football Focus, Johnson, who did not practice today, has 10 drops in 13 games this year and dropped 14 passes in 16 games

It’s been a growing problem all season. The productivity just isn’t there, even though the Lionswisely added Golden Tate to the other side to help ease the pressure on Johnson.
Johnson has been hurt, missing three full games and big portions of two others with a balky ankle. The bad wheel didn’t appear to hinder him in New England, however.
Drops are an ongoing battle for Johnson. While the game-charters at Pro Football Focused (subscription required) have him at just four—not including the New England game—his hands are not nearly as reliable as they should be.


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