Well folks, football finally arrived in downtown Detroit. It arrived in the exact fashion we anticipated, with Matthew Stafford going to Calvin in the end zone, and with the defensive line creating turnover opportunities for the secondary. Despite the fact that many projected starters and stars were watching from the sidelines due to injuries, the Lions dominated the Bengals from start to finish, winning 34-3.
OK, OK, I know....it's only pre-season. The year the Lions went winless in the regular season, they were perfect in the pre-season. Yes, we all know that. What we also know is that this roster, this coaching staff and this front office is COMPLETELY different than that which poisoned and embarrassedour town back in 2008. Some observations from the game:
Amari Spievey now looks the part at safety, and should be the likely starter next to Louis Delmas. This is not a slam on Erik Coleman, but Spievey is faster and is likely to be better in coverage due to his experience as a college cornerback. Spievey showed excellent awareness, and was all over the field.
Derrick Williams was getting accolades from the coaching staff for his strong play during camp practices. However, as has been the case since he was drafted, Williams fails to impress during the games. And sorry Derrick, but that's where the money is made in the NFL. Williams dropped the first two passes thrown to him, and in this town that's not going to endear you to the fanbase. Already chat rooms and Lions fan forums are ripping him for his "stone hands". Maybe Derrick should take up boxing instead.....
The Detroit running game looked absolutely anemic. Aaron Brown was the best of the rest beyond Jahvid Best. With an offensive line that featured a backup at left tackle and a still somewhat ailing right tackle, it's no wonder the running game suffered somewhat. But those excuses won't fly in the regular season. Good teams find a way to get it done. Understandably, Mike Bell and Jerome Harrison were not in the Lions training camp less than a week before the game, so the playbook was significantly reduced when they were in the game. Also, Scott Linehan keeps things pretty vanilla in the pre-season, which is fine. Keep things simple and make sure the players can execute those style of plays. If they can't, there's no reason to believe they'll do better in a more complex setting.
I suspect that over the course of the next couple weeks, things will start to fall into place more for the other new players on the squad. Stephen Tulloch and Justin Durant certainly didn't pop out at you while watching the game. It is expected they'll get more field time in the next game against Cleveland, and it's expected that Coach Schwartz will begin having them play at their projected regular season spots, instead of this potpourri mix he's using right now. Tulloch belongs in the middle, Levy and Durant on the outside. He knows it, we know it, everybody knows it.
Lastly, the play featuring Ndamukong Suh body slamming Andy Dalton.....not excuseable. If the same thing had been done to Matt Stafford by someone on the Bengals defense, Lions fans may have stormed the field with torches and pitchforks. I understand that Suh is a very strong, very aggressive player. But you also have to be smart and aware. The ball was well out of Dalton's hands by the time Suh picked him up off the ground. I, as much as anyone, don't want the game watered down (I'm being nice by calling it that) anymore than it has been, but at the same time I don't want players hurt on plays such as this. More plays like that will make Ndamukong Suh the target of opposing players and officials alike, and he will be flagged when others won't be. Play the game, play it hard, play it to the whistle. Throw aside offensive linemen and find the ball. But don't be stupid or unaware during the process.
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