ALLEN PARK, MICHIGAN – Two days after a victory that for this franchise was downright historic, the Detroit Lions are facing another dose of adversity.

Receiver Nate Burleson broke his arm in a single-car accident early Tuesday after he reached over to keep two pizza boxes from falling off the front passenger seat, authorities said. Coach Jim Schwartz stopped short of writing off the rest of Burleson’s season, but surgery was scheduled for Wednesday.

“It’s not an emergency surgery,” Schwartz said. “Nate’ll be back at some point, and when he will, he will be a big contributor again to our team.”

Burleson’s car hit a center median wall on a highway in suburban Detroit and he was taken to a hospital. Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said there were no indicators of alcohol on the scene or on Burleson’s person after the crash at 2:25 a.m.

The team didn’t say which arm was broken.

Burleson has a team-high 19 catches — 10 for first downs — and his 239 yards receiving is second to Calvin Johnson on the Lions. The 11-year veteran had six receptions for 116 yards, his highest total since 2007, on Sunday to help Detroit win at Washington for the first time in franchise history.

“Any time you’re in a highway accident, there’s potential for worse than broken bones,” Schwartz said. “I think we’ve all dealt with some sort of distraction driving before. I’ve cured myself of texting and driving. I did for about two months — and now I’ve got that SYNC thing with the Fords. I never even touch my cellphone in the car, but one thing that I probably need to cure myself of is eating and driving.

“There’s too many times I leave the office real late at night, and you grab something — and I’ve had it happen to me — drop it on your lap or do something else. That’s stuff we all need to learn from.”

The Lions signed Burleson in 2010 to complement Johnson, and he has done that when healthy. He had 128 receptions for 1,382 yards and nine touchdowns in his first two seasons in Detroit. Burleson, a charismatic presence on and off the field, is also one of the team’s leaders.

“It’s tough,” quarterback Matthew Stafford said. “Obviously Nate had a great game last game. He’s been a big part of our team since he’s been here.”

Burleson broke his right leg last year at Chicago and missed the last 10 games of the season. He bounced back this year by making six catches in the season-opening victory against Minnesota, one of his former teams, and had seven receptions in a Week 2 loss at Arizona. He has 437 career receptions for 5,408 yards and 38 TDs with the Lions, Seattle Seahawks and Vikings.

Burleson is set to be honored next month as the Lions’ 2013 Ed Block Courage Award recipient. The award honors players for overcoming a hardship.

“I was thinking about it: It is hard to see a guy fight so hard to come back so quick. Came back beyond 100 percent to me,” center Dominic Raiola said. “And then this happens. It is hard, but Nate’s a fighter, and he’ll come back again.”

Spencer done for season

IRVING, TEXAS
AP

Dallas defensive end Anthony Spencer will have season-ending surgery on his left knee and may have played his last game for the Cowboys.

Spencer’s agent, Jordan Woy, says doctors have a “good idea” what type of surgery but were still considering options. Cowboys owner Jerry Jones spoke earlier on his radio show, saying Spencer was likely to have microfracture surgery.

The 29-year-old Spencer is on a one-year contract with the franchise tag for the second straight season, so he will be a free agent when he’s healthy again. He’s making $10.6 million this season.

Spencer originally injured the knee in offseason workouts and aggravated it during a conditioning test the day before training camp. He had arthroscopic surgery July 25 and missed the preseason and the opener against the Giants.

Last year’s leading tackler for the Cowboys returned and played more than half the game in Week 2 against Kansas City before he was sidelined again.

“Here’s a case of a guy, you almost have to tie him up to get him off the field,” Jones said on his radio show. “He was so diligent in his rehab. The individual that I have the most empathy for is Spencer because of the type of person he is.”