Post by D6 on Aug 21, 2022 14:37:35 GMT -5
Instant observations: Jeff Okudah, O-line shine as Lions ride backups to first preseason win since 2018
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Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Jeff Okudah, O-line shine as Lions ride backups to first preseason win since 2018
Updated: Aug. 20, 2022, 5:11 p.m.|Published: Aug. 20, 2022, 3:59 p.m.
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Detroit Lions have won their first preseason game since 2018, a 27-26 victory on Saturday afternoon against the Colts.
Not that it really matters, because everyone who really matters didn’t put on a jersey at all.
Jared Goff, out. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds, out. D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, T.J. Hockenson, the whole offensive line, the whole defensive line, everyone, out. Even rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson did not play against Indianapolis, despite needing more work to prepare for the season opener in three weeks.
But the Lions believed this wasn’t the time for it. Not after getting in two hard-hitting practices with the Colts this week. Campbell used those sessions to get his regulars ready for the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, then sat them all on Saturday to avoid the injury risk that comes with playing in the preseason.
“There’ll be a number of these guys that will not play in this game,” Campbell said before concluding joint practices with the Colts. ”A number of our starters, because they’re getting kind of the bulk of the reps (in practice).”
With that in mind, here is the full list of players who were held out Saturday and have ostensibly sewn up starting jobs: QB Jared Goff, WR DJ Chark, WR Josh Reynolds, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, RB D’Andre Swift, RB Jamaal Williams, TE T.J. Hockenson, LT Taylor Decker, LG Jonah Jackson, C Frank Ragnow, RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai, EDGE Charles Harris, DT Alim McNeill, DL Michael Brockers, EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, LB Alex Anzalone, CB Amani Oruwariye, S Tracy Walker and S DeShon Elliott.
Of course, considering who did play in such a game -- and thus has not won a starting job -- is also revealing. Former third overall pick Jeff Okudah, for example, started at cornerback and played most of the first half. So did Will Harris. So it certainly seems like their job battle is for real, and perhaps even unsettled heading into the final week of the preseason.
Linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes also started against the Colts. So the starting job alongside Alex Anzalone could still remain open, although Rodriguez playing in this game seems more like getting the sixth-round pick the work he needs than anything else. He’s outplayed every other linebacker in camp, was promoted to the first team for joint practices with Indianapolis and then was among the first players off the field on Saturday. It sure seems like he’s trending toward becoming the Lions’ first draft pick taken in the sixth round or later to start right out of training camp since 1987.
**** The two joint practices with the Colts gave the Lions coaches the flexibility to keep many most starters and # 2 RB Jamaal Williams out of this game. My guess is each of these players will also be kept out of the pre-season finale at Pittsburgh. Even, rookie Aidan Hutchinson. ****
Let’s get to some more observations:
-- Okudah and Harris both played in Indy, so it’s too soon to declare that battle over. But if this week is any indication, Okudah is starting to pull away for the CB2 job alongside Oruwariye. He got most of the first-team reps throughout both joint practices with Indianapolis, then played much better in the preseason game. He was targeted just once during nearly two quarters of work, and dropped Dezmon Patmon near the line of scrimmage on the third-and-10 play. That built on a good day of practice on Thursday, when Okudah broke up two passes and didn’t allow any catches during red-zone and 2-minute work, although he did have a rough day on Wednesday.
**** Yesterday was a significant step forward for Jeff Okudah. If the field in Pittsburgh is in good condition, I think it would be a good risk/ reward decision for Okudah to get some snaps next Sunday. ****
Harris’ effort was more mixed, including running into traffic while trying to mark Patmon on third-and-10. Patmon picked up 20 yards on the crossing route, and Indianapolis went on to score a game-tying field goal.
‘round and ‘round and ‘round we go on the Will Harris carousel. He was among the worst safeties in the league while he was a safety. He was better than expected as a cornerback down the stretch last year, but just hasn’t been able to pull off the transition fully this year. Not yet anyway. He is still new to the position, so maybe he will grow into the role over time. But right now, the smart money is on Okudah starting alongside Oruwariye when the season opens next month.
**** Will Harris did help make a run stop in the Colts Offensive Backfield on a run blitz. While the 20 yard gain by Dezmon Patmon could have been costly if this was a regular season game. I think Harris is currently in good shape in being on the Lions opening day 53 man roster. With some form of CB rotation on the outside with Jeff Okudah, at least at the beginning of the season, more likely than not.****
-- Among the players who did suit up against Indianapolis, few played better than the second-team offensive line. The starting group figures to be one of the best in the league, and certainly looked the part during a commanding debut against Atlanta. A week later, the backups were just as dominant in Indianapolis. From left to right, Matt Nelson, Logan Stenberg, Evan Brown, Tommy Kraemer and Dan Skipper plowed massive holes for a running game that racked up 45 yards on nine carries on their first drive. They were still averaging more than 5 yards per carry when those guys started to depart the game.
**** The run blocking by the O-Line that started this game( 2nd unit vs. the Falcons) was very good. The interior pass blocking was as well. The outside pass blocking was shaky.****
Offensive line coach Hank Fraley deserves a lot of credit for developing the depth behind the big five. He worked wonders with backup center Evan Brown last year, and Detroit hardly missed a beat after losing Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow early in the season. A year later, the second-team offensive front went from struggling to tie their cleats early in camp, to commanding the line of scrimmage in the second week of the preseason.
**** Logan Stenberg had a strong 1st half at LG. While his play, especially in the running game, dropped off noticeably in the 2nd half when most of the other Offensive Lineman that started this game were out of the game or not in the position they began the game, Stenberg helped his cause at either being on the Lions opening day roster or being claimed off waivers by another team if he's released by the Lions.****
-- While we’re handing out props, we got to get to Tom Kennedy. He caught five more passes on Saturday, two of which scored touchdowns, and the second of which was especially pretty -- working to the back corner of the end zone after lighting Chris Wilcox on fire.
What a story that guy is. Kennedy has lived on the roster bubble since the day he gave up professional lacrosse to try out for the Lions. That was four years ago! Most bubble guys are lucky to make it one or two years. But you put Kennedy on the field, and he just continues to make plays. Since joining the Lions in 2019, just three players have more preseason catches than him. Not three players on this team -- in the whole league.
Last year, he played his way onto the 53-man roster by leading the league in receiving. In the first exhibition of this season, he racked up another 103 receiving yards -- once again tops in the league. On Saturday, he scored two touchdowns. The problem is he also doesn’t do anything on special teams, which is usually a prerequisite for bench receivers. But I also know Dan Campbell loves Tom Kennedy, and while I think TK is on the wrong side of the roster bubble, I also wouldn’t bet against him.
“I’m not surprised (by Kennedy),” Campbell said after the exhibition opener. “That’s Tom Kennedy. He’s just dependable. That’s all he is, just dependable. He’s just very dependable. That’s all he is.”
**** I think Tom Kennedy has reached the point that if the Lions release him, another team (s) will claim him off waivers or make a serious attempt to sign him to their Practice Squad.****
-- With Jared Goff getting the afternoon off, David Blough got the start over Tim Boyle at quarterback. This was a chance at redemption for Blough, who fumbled while trying to put away the Falcons late in the fourth quarter of the exhibition opener, although he never quite got it. He completed 16 of his 22 passes overall, but did so for just 76 yards and one intercpetion. If he was looking for an outing that would win him the QB2 job, this probably wasn’t it.
On the bright side, Blough completed three straight third-down passes right before halftime, the last of which was a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kennedy. That was a nice way to give way to Boyle at halftime. But there were a lot of discouraging moments throughout the rest of his two quarters of work, including a fumbled exchange with running back Justin Jackson and an interception while trying to throw to Kennedy in traffic over the middle. He also threw into double-coverage in the end zone on the first series of the day, leading to a field goal.
Boyle entered the game in the third quarter and a better day against Indianapolis’ deep reserves, completing 12 of 15 passes for 99 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
**** Both QBs did some good things but both showed why they are much closer to the waiver wire than seriously competing to be a starting QB in the NFL. The race between them for the Lions # 2 QB spot seems very close. With the Lions not bringing in another QB to get practice reps and exposure to the Offense, I think it's more likely than not at this time that both will be on the Lions opening day 53 man roster.****
-- One of the great debates with just 10 days left until roster cuts: Will Demetrius Taylor make it as an extra interior defensive lineman? And if you’re asking yourself who the heck is Demetrius Taylor, well, don’t feel too bad about that. Taylor is an undrafted rookie out of Appalachian State. He was named first-team All-Sun Belt in his final three seasons and finished fourth on the school’s all-time sack list. That’s nice. But he was very far off NFL radars, then went undrafted in the spring before signing a free-agent deal with Detroit.
Then he arrived in Allen Park, and immediately began turning heads while working with the third team. He’s played his way onto the roster bubble, was even getting some first-team reps in camp and definitely helped himself with another impactful performance against Indianapolis. He might as well forward his mail to the Colts’ offensive backfield, because he was living there on Saturday.
“Every day he makes a play or two,” Campbell said earlier in camp. “Just everyday he does something to where he flashes. He gets under guys, he plays with really good leverage, he’s strong, he’s stout, he’s got a quick first step. He’s a nuisance. He’s a nuisance for those guys on offense.”
If you’re wondering about darkhorse roster candidates heading into the final week of practice before cuts, start with Demetrius Taylor. I know the Lions are.
**** After seeing Demetrious Taylor make an impact on a few plays in yesterday's pre-season game at Indianapolis, on top of the practice reports of his impactful plays, I think the Lions can't risk exposing him to waivers. That much more with the team's DT situation. Taylor looks like more than an extra Defensive Lineman who will be on the Game Day Inactive List. While Taylor would very likely have major growing pains, he can help the Lions Defense get the opposition into adverse down and distance situations. ****
-- So we’re all in agreement that Austin Bryant is making the team? Cool. That guy was on the roster bubble after Detroit drafted Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal, plus re-signed Charles Harris. But Bryant has been a nightmare matchup all training camp, cooked Indianapolis for three sacks in a single practice on Thursday, then added another sack in the exhibition on Saturday. Bryant missed 22 of his first 32 games in the league while battling injury, but finally healthy -- and finally happy with his coaching staff -- the fourth-year edge rusher is really starting to blossom.
**** It looked like Austin Bryant was at least part of 3 sacks yesterday. Brad Holmes probably should attempt to sign him to a contract extension. ****
-- Maurice Alexander, a mid-camp signing, ripped a 61-yard kickoff return to Indianapolis’ 34-yard line. It probably wasn’t enough to win him a job -- not on a team stacked at receiver and settled at return man -- but it was the club’s best special teams play of the preseason. Alexander has done enough in his few weeks with the team to draw consideration for the practice squad.
**** Maurice Alexander also had another sizable Kickoff Return and looked crisp as a WR. At the very least, he probably has secured himself a Practice Squad spot with the Lions. If Alexander has a repeat performance on Kickoffs and also has a long Punt Return, in the pre-season finale at Pittsburgh, he could realistic be the Lions Primary Kickoff Returner at the start of the regular season. ****
-- In addition to the starters who did not play against Indy, the Lions also sat out a handful of players due to injury. That includes tight end Devin Funchess, who suffered a stinger on the first day of joint practices with the Colts. I thought he was on the wrong side of the bubble before the injury, and missing more time with another injury -- after playing just one game the last three years because of injuries and COVID -- won’t help his case. Shane Zylstra and Brock Wright were the top tight ends against Indy (while Hockenson got a breather). Zylstra finished with five catches for 34 yards, while rookie James Mitchell added two catches for 9 yards.
**** The other TEs mentioned helped their cause yesterday. Devin Funchess needs to get back to practice early this week, have a strong week of practice, and another impactful pre-season game. ****
Also missing the game due to injury: WR Quintez Cephus, OL Kevin Jarvis, DT Levi Onwuzurike, EDGE Julian Okwara, S Ifeatu Melifonwu and S C.J. Moore.
The Lions have said the right things about Onwuzurike’s latest injury, but I’m past the point of concern for him. He was a bitter disappointment as a rookie, and of course missing all of training camp with a back injury factored into that. No telling what he might have looked like at full health. Then again, he made it through just one padded practice this year before suffering another back/hip injury. And we haven’t seen him since.
The injuries themselves are concerning of course, but that doesn’t even account for all the developmental time he’s lost. I asked Campbell about that this week. His response: “I know why you’re asking it. And look, every day that he’s not in there, it certainly is not helping. It doesn’t help him and it doesn’t help us as a team. However, it is what it is and it’s not his fault. And so all we can ask him to do is just continue to treat it and our guys are working with him and he is getting better. But certainly not at the pace he wants it to be.”
**** This is a major reason why the Lions can't afford to expose Demetrious Taylor to waivers****
-- Defensive lineman Eric Banks limped off the field late in the second quarter and did not return. Banks got pressure on the quarterback, but ran into linebacker Jarrad Davis and had to be helped off the field by the medical staff. Banks probably is on the wrong side of the roster bubble, but with injuries to interior pass rushers like Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal (Detroit’s last two second-round picks, as luck would have it), Banks’ shot was improving. Now the interior pass rush is thinner than ever heading into the final week of the preseason.
**** Eric Banks probably will have to go the Practice Squad Route again. This is assuming he won't land on season ending IR.
On the other hand, John Cominsky had a good all around performance at DE and DT. I think Cominsky is going to at least survive the cut to 53. ****
-- The win broke a nine-game losing streak for the Lions in the preseason, a skid that dated back to a 33-30 victory against Tampa Bay on Aug. 24, 2018.
**** Even though pre-season games mean very little when it comes to the regular season (excluding injuries), it was good to see the Lions players that played yesterday come away with a pre-season win. Especially, after what transpired in the last 2 minutes of the pre-season game vs. the Falcons. Cominsky's pressure on the Colts 2 point conversion attempt easily could have been the difference in the outcome of yesterday's pre-season game. ****
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions at Colts preview: Pre-Season Game # 2 ( 2022)
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1497/lions-colts-preview-season-game
...........
Thoughts in ****
Instant observations: Jeff Okudah, O-line shine as Lions ride backups to first preseason win since 2018
Updated: Aug. 20, 2022, 5:11 p.m.|Published: Aug. 20, 2022, 3:59 p.m.
By Kyle Meinke | kmeinke@mlive.com
INDIANAPOLIS -- The Detroit Lions have won their first preseason game since 2018, a 27-26 victory on Saturday afternoon against the Colts.
Not that it really matters, because everyone who really matters didn’t put on a jersey at all.
Jared Goff, out. Amon-Ra St. Brown, DJ Chark and Josh Reynolds, out. D’Andre Swift, Jamaal Williams, T.J. Hockenson, the whole offensive line, the whole defensive line, everyone, out. Even rookie pass rusher Aidan Hutchinson did not play against Indianapolis, despite needing more work to prepare for the season opener in three weeks.
But the Lions believed this wasn’t the time for it. Not after getting in two hard-hitting practices with the Colts this week. Campbell used those sessions to get his regulars ready for the opener against the Philadelphia Eagles, then sat them all on Saturday to avoid the injury risk that comes with playing in the preseason.
“There’ll be a number of these guys that will not play in this game,” Campbell said before concluding joint practices with the Colts. ”A number of our starters, because they’re getting kind of the bulk of the reps (in practice).”
With that in mind, here is the full list of players who were held out Saturday and have ostensibly sewn up starting jobs: QB Jared Goff, WR DJ Chark, WR Josh Reynolds, WR Amon-Ra St. Brown, RB D’Andre Swift, RB Jamaal Williams, TE T.J. Hockenson, LT Taylor Decker, LG Jonah Jackson, C Frank Ragnow, RG Halapoulivaati Vaitai, EDGE Charles Harris, DT Alim McNeill, DL Michael Brockers, EDGE Aidan Hutchinson, LB Alex Anzalone, CB Amani Oruwariye, S Tracy Walker and S DeShon Elliott.
Of course, considering who did play in such a game -- and thus has not won a starting job -- is also revealing. Former third overall pick Jeff Okudah, for example, started at cornerback and played most of the first half. So did Will Harris. So it certainly seems like their job battle is for real, and perhaps even unsettled heading into the final week of the preseason.
Linebackers Malcolm Rodriguez and Derrick Barnes also started against the Colts. So the starting job alongside Alex Anzalone could still remain open, although Rodriguez playing in this game seems more like getting the sixth-round pick the work he needs than anything else. He’s outplayed every other linebacker in camp, was promoted to the first team for joint practices with Indianapolis and then was among the first players off the field on Saturday. It sure seems like he’s trending toward becoming the Lions’ first draft pick taken in the sixth round or later to start right out of training camp since 1987.
**** The two joint practices with the Colts gave the Lions coaches the flexibility to keep many most starters and # 2 RB Jamaal Williams out of this game. My guess is each of these players will also be kept out of the pre-season finale at Pittsburgh. Even, rookie Aidan Hutchinson. ****
Let’s get to some more observations:
-- Okudah and Harris both played in Indy, so it’s too soon to declare that battle over. But if this week is any indication, Okudah is starting to pull away for the CB2 job alongside Oruwariye. He got most of the first-team reps throughout both joint practices with Indianapolis, then played much better in the preseason game. He was targeted just once during nearly two quarters of work, and dropped Dezmon Patmon near the line of scrimmage on the third-and-10 play. That built on a good day of practice on Thursday, when Okudah broke up two passes and didn’t allow any catches during red-zone and 2-minute work, although he did have a rough day on Wednesday.
**** Yesterday was a significant step forward for Jeff Okudah. If the field in Pittsburgh is in good condition, I think it would be a good risk/ reward decision for Okudah to get some snaps next Sunday. ****
Harris’ effort was more mixed, including running into traffic while trying to mark Patmon on third-and-10. Patmon picked up 20 yards on the crossing route, and Indianapolis went on to score a game-tying field goal.
‘round and ‘round and ‘round we go on the Will Harris carousel. He was among the worst safeties in the league while he was a safety. He was better than expected as a cornerback down the stretch last year, but just hasn’t been able to pull off the transition fully this year. Not yet anyway. He is still new to the position, so maybe he will grow into the role over time. But right now, the smart money is on Okudah starting alongside Oruwariye when the season opens next month.
**** Will Harris did help make a run stop in the Colts Offensive Backfield on a run blitz. While the 20 yard gain by Dezmon Patmon could have been costly if this was a regular season game. I think Harris is currently in good shape in being on the Lions opening day 53 man roster. With some form of CB rotation on the outside with Jeff Okudah, at least at the beginning of the season, more likely than not.****
-- Among the players who did suit up against Indianapolis, few played better than the second-team offensive line. The starting group figures to be one of the best in the league, and certainly looked the part during a commanding debut against Atlanta. A week later, the backups were just as dominant in Indianapolis. From left to right, Matt Nelson, Logan Stenberg, Evan Brown, Tommy Kraemer and Dan Skipper plowed massive holes for a running game that racked up 45 yards on nine carries on their first drive. They were still averaging more than 5 yards per carry when those guys started to depart the game.
**** The run blocking by the O-Line that started this game( 2nd unit vs. the Falcons) was very good. The interior pass blocking was as well. The outside pass blocking was shaky.****
Offensive line coach Hank Fraley deserves a lot of credit for developing the depth behind the big five. He worked wonders with backup center Evan Brown last year, and Detroit hardly missed a beat after losing Pro Bowl center Frank Ragnow early in the season. A year later, the second-team offensive front went from struggling to tie their cleats early in camp, to commanding the line of scrimmage in the second week of the preseason.
**** Logan Stenberg had a strong 1st half at LG. While his play, especially in the running game, dropped off noticeably in the 2nd half when most of the other Offensive Lineman that started this game were out of the game or not in the position they began the game, Stenberg helped his cause at either being on the Lions opening day roster or being claimed off waivers by another team if he's released by the Lions.****
-- While we’re handing out props, we got to get to Tom Kennedy. He caught five more passes on Saturday, two of which scored touchdowns, and the second of which was especially pretty -- working to the back corner of the end zone after lighting Chris Wilcox on fire.
What a story that guy is. Kennedy has lived on the roster bubble since the day he gave up professional lacrosse to try out for the Lions. That was four years ago! Most bubble guys are lucky to make it one or two years. But you put Kennedy on the field, and he just continues to make plays. Since joining the Lions in 2019, just three players have more preseason catches than him. Not three players on this team -- in the whole league.
Last year, he played his way onto the 53-man roster by leading the league in receiving. In the first exhibition of this season, he racked up another 103 receiving yards -- once again tops in the league. On Saturday, he scored two touchdowns. The problem is he also doesn’t do anything on special teams, which is usually a prerequisite for bench receivers. But I also know Dan Campbell loves Tom Kennedy, and while I think TK is on the wrong side of the roster bubble, I also wouldn’t bet against him.
“I’m not surprised (by Kennedy),” Campbell said after the exhibition opener. “That’s Tom Kennedy. He’s just dependable. That’s all he is, just dependable. He’s just very dependable. That’s all he is.”
**** I think Tom Kennedy has reached the point that if the Lions release him, another team (s) will claim him off waivers or make a serious attempt to sign him to their Practice Squad.****
-- With Jared Goff getting the afternoon off, David Blough got the start over Tim Boyle at quarterback. This was a chance at redemption for Blough, who fumbled while trying to put away the Falcons late in the fourth quarter of the exhibition opener, although he never quite got it. He completed 16 of his 22 passes overall, but did so for just 76 yards and one intercpetion. If he was looking for an outing that would win him the QB2 job, this probably wasn’t it.
On the bright side, Blough completed three straight third-down passes right before halftime, the last of which was a 5-yard touchdown pass to Kennedy. That was a nice way to give way to Boyle at halftime. But there were a lot of discouraging moments throughout the rest of his two quarters of work, including a fumbled exchange with running back Justin Jackson and an interception while trying to throw to Kennedy in traffic over the middle. He also threw into double-coverage in the end zone on the first series of the day, leading to a field goal.
Boyle entered the game in the third quarter and a better day against Indianapolis’ deep reserves, completing 12 of 15 passes for 99 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions.
**** Both QBs did some good things but both showed why they are much closer to the waiver wire than seriously competing to be a starting QB in the NFL. The race between them for the Lions # 2 QB spot seems very close. With the Lions not bringing in another QB to get practice reps and exposure to the Offense, I think it's more likely than not at this time that both will be on the Lions opening day 53 man roster.****
-- One of the great debates with just 10 days left until roster cuts: Will Demetrius Taylor make it as an extra interior defensive lineman? And if you’re asking yourself who the heck is Demetrius Taylor, well, don’t feel too bad about that. Taylor is an undrafted rookie out of Appalachian State. He was named first-team All-Sun Belt in his final three seasons and finished fourth on the school’s all-time sack list. That’s nice. But he was very far off NFL radars, then went undrafted in the spring before signing a free-agent deal with Detroit.
Then he arrived in Allen Park, and immediately began turning heads while working with the third team. He’s played his way onto the roster bubble, was even getting some first-team reps in camp and definitely helped himself with another impactful performance against Indianapolis. He might as well forward his mail to the Colts’ offensive backfield, because he was living there on Saturday.
“Every day he makes a play or two,” Campbell said earlier in camp. “Just everyday he does something to where he flashes. He gets under guys, he plays with really good leverage, he’s strong, he’s stout, he’s got a quick first step. He’s a nuisance. He’s a nuisance for those guys on offense.”
If you’re wondering about darkhorse roster candidates heading into the final week of practice before cuts, start with Demetrius Taylor. I know the Lions are.
**** After seeing Demetrious Taylor make an impact on a few plays in yesterday's pre-season game at Indianapolis, on top of the practice reports of his impactful plays, I think the Lions can't risk exposing him to waivers. That much more with the team's DT situation. Taylor looks like more than an extra Defensive Lineman who will be on the Game Day Inactive List. While Taylor would very likely have major growing pains, he can help the Lions Defense get the opposition into adverse down and distance situations. ****
-- So we’re all in agreement that Austin Bryant is making the team? Cool. That guy was on the roster bubble after Detroit drafted Aidan Hutchinson and Josh Paschal, plus re-signed Charles Harris. But Bryant has been a nightmare matchup all training camp, cooked Indianapolis for three sacks in a single practice on Thursday, then added another sack in the exhibition on Saturday. Bryant missed 22 of his first 32 games in the league while battling injury, but finally healthy -- and finally happy with his coaching staff -- the fourth-year edge rusher is really starting to blossom.
**** It looked like Austin Bryant was at least part of 3 sacks yesterday. Brad Holmes probably should attempt to sign him to a contract extension. ****
-- Maurice Alexander, a mid-camp signing, ripped a 61-yard kickoff return to Indianapolis’ 34-yard line. It probably wasn’t enough to win him a job -- not on a team stacked at receiver and settled at return man -- but it was the club’s best special teams play of the preseason. Alexander has done enough in his few weeks with the team to draw consideration for the practice squad.
**** Maurice Alexander also had another sizable Kickoff Return and looked crisp as a WR. At the very least, he probably has secured himself a Practice Squad spot with the Lions. If Alexander has a repeat performance on Kickoffs and also has a long Punt Return, in the pre-season finale at Pittsburgh, he could realistic be the Lions Primary Kickoff Returner at the start of the regular season. ****
-- In addition to the starters who did not play against Indy, the Lions also sat out a handful of players due to injury. That includes tight end Devin Funchess, who suffered a stinger on the first day of joint practices with the Colts. I thought he was on the wrong side of the bubble before the injury, and missing more time with another injury -- after playing just one game the last three years because of injuries and COVID -- won’t help his case. Shane Zylstra and Brock Wright were the top tight ends against Indy (while Hockenson got a breather). Zylstra finished with five catches for 34 yards, while rookie James Mitchell added two catches for 9 yards.
**** The other TEs mentioned helped their cause yesterday. Devin Funchess needs to get back to practice early this week, have a strong week of practice, and another impactful pre-season game. ****
Also missing the game due to injury: WR Quintez Cephus, OL Kevin Jarvis, DT Levi Onwuzurike, EDGE Julian Okwara, S Ifeatu Melifonwu and S C.J. Moore.
The Lions have said the right things about Onwuzurike’s latest injury, but I’m past the point of concern for him. He was a bitter disappointment as a rookie, and of course missing all of training camp with a back injury factored into that. No telling what he might have looked like at full health. Then again, he made it through just one padded practice this year before suffering another back/hip injury. And we haven’t seen him since.
The injuries themselves are concerning of course, but that doesn’t even account for all the developmental time he’s lost. I asked Campbell about that this week. His response: “I know why you’re asking it. And look, every day that he’s not in there, it certainly is not helping. It doesn’t help him and it doesn’t help us as a team. However, it is what it is and it’s not his fault. And so all we can ask him to do is just continue to treat it and our guys are working with him and he is getting better. But certainly not at the pace he wants it to be.”
**** This is a major reason why the Lions can't afford to expose Demetrious Taylor to waivers****
-- Defensive lineman Eric Banks limped off the field late in the second quarter and did not return. Banks got pressure on the quarterback, but ran into linebacker Jarrad Davis and had to be helped off the field by the medical staff. Banks probably is on the wrong side of the roster bubble, but with injuries to interior pass rushers like Levi Onwuzurike and Josh Paschal (Detroit’s last two second-round picks, as luck would have it), Banks’ shot was improving. Now the interior pass rush is thinner than ever heading into the final week of the preseason.
**** Eric Banks probably will have to go the Practice Squad Route again. This is assuming he won't land on season ending IR.
On the other hand, John Cominsky had a good all around performance at DE and DT. I think Cominsky is going to at least survive the cut to 53. ****
-- The win broke a nine-game losing streak for the Lions in the preseason, a skid that dated back to a 33-30 victory against Tampa Bay on Aug. 24, 2018.
**** Even though pre-season games mean very little when it comes to the regular season (excluding injuries), it was good to see the Lions players that played yesterday come away with a pre-season win. Especially, after what transpired in the last 2 minutes of the pre-season game vs. the Falcons. Cominsky's pressure on the Colts 2 point conversion attempt easily could have been the difference in the outcome of yesterday's pre-season game. ****
This new thread is a continuation of the following thread:
Lions at Colts preview: Pre-Season Game # 2 ( 2022)
detroit-lions-forum.proboards.com/thread/1497/lions-colts-preview-season-game