ALLEN PARK, Mich. — The Detroit Lions placed tight end Joseph Fauria on injured reserve Wednesday, a few days after his best performance of the season.

In Sunday’s 34-17 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Fauria aggravated his left ankle injury on a first-quarter catch. He returned to the game and caught a 10-yard touchdown, his first of the season. Fauria first suffered the injury on the Wednesday night before Week 4, claiming he tripped chasing his dog down the stairs. He missed six games before returning in Week 11.

Lions coach Jim Caldwell said Wednesday he didn’t know whether or not Fauria would require surgery.

“He’s been out a while for us now, back and forth,” Caldwell said. “He’s a guy that has height that, like I mentioned before, you can’t coach. His innate ability to go up and catch balls around the end zone and those kinds of things are things that he does well. We’ve got to find a way to go in and get the job done without him.”