trade.This season, hes been badly off track. He even made

ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- The Detroit Lions need a win and a Green Bay loss to secure a rare postseason appearance.We control our destiny, Lions safety Glover Quin said.While that is a fact, it will be difficult for Detroit to win either of its last two games.The NFC-North leading Lions (9-5) close the regular season next Monday night at the NFC-leading Dallas Cowboys (12-2), then are home against the Green Bay Packers (8-6).Theres certainly a chance Detroit could lose both games and plummet out of the playoff picture after being in a favorable position to win a division title for the first time since 1993. Two results Sunday, Detroits loss against the New York Giants and Green Bays win at Chicago, seemed to change the outlook for a franchise with just two trips to the playoffs in the previous 16 seasons.Detroits 17-6 setback against the Giants ended its five-game winning streak.We dont like this feeling, Lions receiver Golden Tate said. We are going to try and change that Monday. We need a great week of practice. And me personally, Im excited to get back out there and get this taste out of our mouths and keep it moving. We are right where we want to be, still. We just need to worry about us and play fundamental, sound football.Even with high-stakes games coming up, Lions coach Jim Caldwell isnt going to go into rah-rah mode. Caldwell doesnt plan to change his even-keeled approach, trying to say or do something different to help his players simply focus on the task right in front of them and not on the ramifications.We reduce everything to its lowest common denominator, Caldwell said Monday. Whats most important? Whats important right now? ... Everything else will take care of itself.Matthew Stafford likely needs time, and perhaps surgery, to heal his hurting middle finger on his throwing hand. The right-handed quarterback, though, isnt afforded that luxury, and the Lions dont have a great option behind him with backups Dan Orlovsky and Jake Rudock.Stafford has thrown three interceptions, playing through the injury, in two games after going eight straight games without getting picked once. He insisted the injury didnt have an effect on him against the Giants.I felt pretty good, Stafford said.Caldwell acknowledged it has been a difficult transition for Stafford.Heres a guy thats been holding a football in his bare hand for years and years and years, and all of a sudden hes wearing a glove, Caldwell said. Do you think theres going to be a difference? I mean these guys arent any different than concert pianists. ... There is some adjustment thats made there. Its not a non-issue until he doesnt have it off and doesnt have it on anymore, so there are things. Now, can he perform with it? Theres no question he can perform with it.The Lions hope they can keep standout cornerback Darius Slay in the lineup after he left against the Giants in the second quarter after aggravating a hamstring injury. Caldwell declined to provide an update on Slays health, saying to check the injury report later in the week. He doesnt sound concerned about potentially replacing Slay.Weve had situations where weve had a lot of guys that got banged up this year, Caldwell said. I think Shakespeare said that often sorrows come, they dont come as a single spy, they come in battalions. Theres been times where weve had battalions throughout the year in terms of problems and issues, but our guys have always hung in there. Theyve always focused and theyve always been able to overcome whatever the odds are.---For more NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and http://twitter.com/AP-NFL Anthony Bennett Jersey . 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Cundiff, who had the unenviable job of replacing Dawson last season, agreed Thursday to a one-year, $1. MINNEAPOLIS -- Barely a year after acquiring Carlos Gomez, the Houston Astros have let the two-time All-Star center fielder go amid a season-long slump.The 30-year-old Gomez was designated for assignment Wednesday before the game in Minnesota, where he played two seasons at the beginning of his career.Manager A.J. Hinch praised Gomezs attitude despite the persistent struggles, but he was batting .210 with 100 strikeouts in 295 at-bats and a woeful .594 on-base-plus-slugging percentage. His contract was expiring at the end of the year.I just think he put a lot of pressure on himself to be perfect, and the harder he tried, sometimes the more difficult it became, Hinch said. It wasnt a lack of effort. It wasnt a lack of preparation. It wasnt a lack of anything other than production on the field.Gomez and starting pitcher Mike Fiers arrived from Milwaukee the day before the non-waiver trade deadline last year for four prospects, none of whom have reached the major leagues with the Brewers yet. But Gomez, who was making $9 million this season, will go down as one of the franchises biggest busts.Sometimes it just doesnt work. I know he carried the burden of being the big acquisition in July. He often spoke of feeling responsible and trying to play better for the team, knowing that he was a big addition last July during the playoff race, Hinch said. We can poke holes at guys, especially on their way out the door, but Ill choose to remember the more positive impact -- the home run in New York in the playoffs, the continual ennergy behind the scenes, the selflessness in talking to some of the young players.ddddddddddddThe Astros were a surprise AL wild-card team last year and after beating the Yankees fell to the World Series champion Kansas City Royals in five games in the next round. Gomez hit .242 with 13 extra-base hits and 10 stolen bases in 41 games for the Astros after the trade.This season, hes been badly off track. He even made two glaring gaffes in the field Monday, his last game for Houston, by letting a single skip by him for a two-base error that allowed one run to score and losing a routine fly ball that became an RBI triple during a three-run fifth inning for the victorious Twins.He wasnt having a good year, obviously, but at least he tried hard, second baseman Jose Altuve said.Trying too hard has long been one of Gomezs troubles, a multi-talented athlete who has inconsistently harnessed his exuberance.We really wanted to start to play the guys who we felt were going to help us on a nightly basis more than the others, and thats not knocking Carlos Gomez at all, Hinch said. I think he brought his best every single day to try to help us win.The Astros recalled right-handed reliever Jandel Gustave from Triple-A Fresno to fill Gomezs roster spot. Jake Marisnick will take over in center field, and Tony Kemp will get plenty of time in left field. Colby Rasmus is on the disabled list with an ear problem. ' ' '