The Detroit Lions surprised everyone in 2016, as their NFL record eight come-from-behind victories led them to an unexpected playoff berth. But the season ended on a sour note with four straight losses, including a 26-6 drubbing in the Wild Card round at the hands of the Seattle Seahawks. Now, the Lions hope to prove that their run to the postseason was no fluke with a successful 2017 campaign.
Detroit began the 2017 season on Sunday with a 24-10 preseason victory over the Indianapolis Colts. The Lions dominated for all 60 minutes, out-gaining the Colts by 106 yards (336-230) and allowing only one touchdown in the contest’s final seconds. But the preseason isn’t about who wins and who loses. It’s about getting ready for the games that count. Here are three takeaways from the Detroit Lions’ first preseason matchup.
Detroit Lions Preseason Week One Takeaways
Rudock-Golladay Connection
It was second-year quarterback Jake Rudock and rookie wide receiver Kenny Golladay who stole the show from the start. The two connected three times for 53 yards, including two touchdowns that gave Detroit an early 14-3 lead. Golladay, a third-round pick out of Northern Illinois, has impressed the team throughout training camp and that didn’t stop when he took the field for his first official NFL game. Both of his scores were contested receptions going for 15 and 23 yards respectively, showing that the former Husky is able to come down with the tough catches the Lions need him to make.
Rudock, meanwhile, was handed the majority of Detroit’s snaps in Indianapolis and he used that to his advantage. The 2016 sixth-round pick out of Michigan completed 13 of 21 passes for 142 yards, including those two touchdowns to Golladay, leading to a passer rating of 113.6. Rudock also used his legs, avoiding pressure all afternoon and even carrying the ball two times for 24 yards.
Both Rudock and Golladay better salvage the attention while it lasts, though. Matthew Stafford– who tossed for 36 yards and an interception in one series Sunday -obviously remains atop the depth chart at quarterback. And despite the solid start to his professional career, Golladay remains behind Golden Tate and Marvin Jones at wide receiver. He will still get targets as the number-three option, but the 23-year-old won’t be the focus just yet. The strong showing against the Colts, however, proves that both Rudock and Golladay will get the job done when given the opportunity, and that both have have bright futures ahead of them.
Defensive Line in Trouble
After only one series, coach Jim Caldwell and company chose to take Detroit’s offensive skill-position players off the field. In contrast, the team elected to keep most of its defense in play for a second series. They paid the price. Soon, defensive end Kerry Hyder was on the ground, clutching his leg. He would be carted off the field with what Caldwell called a “significant achilles injury.”
This is not good for a defensive line that was already damaged to begin with. Ezekiel Ansah, who struggled through all of last year with ankle injuries, was placed on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list prior to training camp. He should be back by week one of the regular season, but that is far from a guarantee. Now Hyder, who led the Lions with eight sacks in 2016, is gone as well.
Last season, the Lions ranked 30th in the NFL with 26 total sacks, tied with Cleveland and ahead of only the Raiders. That is a number the team needs to improve if they wish to win the NFC North for the first time since 1993. Hyder’s injury, in addition to the worries surrounding Ansah, does not bode well for that. Hopefully, both return to action sooner rather than later.
Running Game Looks to Improve
One of Detroit’s biggest problems in 2016 was their run game. The team placed 30th in rushing yards, constantly placing most of the weight onto the shoulders of Stafford. Eventually, Stafford couldn’t handle the added pressure and he began to falter down the stretch, leading to a disappointing conclusion to an otherwise fantastic season. This is something the Lions need to avoid in 2017.
Ameer Abdullah’s health was a major issue last season, one of the main reasons for Detroit’s struggles on the ground. The former Nebraska Cornhusker played in only two games in 2016 before going down with a knee injury. But on Sunday, Abdullah was out there as usual with the first team. Although he only participated in one series (as did the rest of Detroit’s skill-position players on offense), the 2015 second-rounder looked healthy, amassing 16 total yards on one catch and one carry.
Meanwhile, Zach Zenner and Dwayne Washington kept the running game afloat for the rest of the contest. Washington totaled 34 yards on six carries, while Zenner carried the ball six times as well for 26 yards of his own. Their production is key in case Abdullah or Theo Riddick– who sat out of the team’s preseason game to protect his right wrist -have to fight through injuries once again this upcoming campaign.
Conclusion
The Detroit Lions started off the preseason strong. But for a team coming off two playoff appearances over their last three years, wins in August don’t mean a thing. Nevertheless, the preseason provides the Lions a chance to learn and grow as a unit, and fans the chance to get their first taste of football in over six months. Next Saturday night, Detroit fans will be granted that opportunity as the Lions take on the Jets at Ford Field.
