Lions rookie tight end Sam LaPorta faced uncertainty about playing through a knee injury against the Rams on Sunday. Despite the initial doubt, he not only took the field but also scored a touchdown.

LaPorta revealed to Kyle Meinke of MLive.com that he deviated from the original play when he found himself jammed at the line and initially not open. Instead, he moved toward the middle of the end zone, a decision rooted in a discussion during the Friday red-zone practice two days before the game.

Jim Hostler, a pass-game coordinator who regularly works with the tight ends, gave LaPorta hints during the red-zone session about other options in case the first route wasn’t successful.

“Our red-zone day is Friday,” LaPorta declared.Jim Hostler is one of our pass-game coordinators and spends a lot of time in our room working with the tight ends. “If you don’t get the ball on the initial route, what do you think you’re going to do?” he casually intimated to me. “I guess I never thought about that, Hos,” I exclaimed. I’ll most likely tuck it in. Yes, that’s fantastic, he says. However, he did just mention that to me and hint at it.

That’s precisely what happened, unfortunately for the Rams, as quarterback Jared Goff saw LaPorta and found him in the end zone for a fourth-down touchdown.

LaPorta gave Hostler credit on the sidelines, acknowledging the execution’s effectiveness.

LaPorta remarked, “Then, of course, the first person I see on the sideline is Hos, staring at me out of the corner of his eye.” “I thought, ‘It was exactly as you said, Hos.'”

LaPorta is doubtful for the Detroit Lions’ NFC Divisional round matchup against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this Sunday at 12 p.m. PT, but the team hopes he can play another game and have a similar impact during the postseason.