Cam Newton offers explanation for ‘Donkey Kong Suh’ after beating Lions

The Lions and Packers play one another in Detroit this coming Sunday.

Green Bay offensive tackle Bryan Bulaga did not play in the team’s home opener against the New York Jets after being limited in practice during the week by a sprained MCL in his left knee. The Packers ultimately didn’t need him, coming from behind to beat the Jets, 31-24.

Detroit head coach Jim Caldwell says he expects rookie cornerback Nevin Lawson to miss the rest of the season after surgery on toes that he dislocated Sunday. Caldwell says that a foot specialist evaluated Lawson after the game and that the surgery was successful. The Lions lost 24-7 to the Carolina Panthers.

“(We) had some chances to score some points early (and) didn’t,” Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford said after the game. “I could have made a better throw on the two deep ones to Calvin (Johnson). Those were close, and you look back and those are big plays in the game.”

Panthers quarterback Cam Newton also clarified his comments about Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Newton addressed Suh as ‘Donkey Kong Suh’ five different times when speaking to the media last Wednesday. He said following the game that he enjoys video games in his spare time and sometimes plays them with Calvin Johnson and other members of the Lions.

“I respect (Suh) as a person,” Newton said. “If anything, I was trying to say it as a compliment of him wreaking havoc. I should have called him Wreck-It Ralph, and it was just out of my respect for him.”

It also appeared the Panthers would allow defensive end Greg Hardy to play Sunday, but the team ultimately benched him. Hardy will go to trial this fall for assaulting and threatening an ex-girlfriend.