The Detroit Lions impressed in front of their home fans Saturday night, defeating the New York Jets 16-6 in their second exhibition game of the 2017 season. Just as they did last week in Indianapolis, the Lions jumped out to an early lead and maintained control of the contest throughout. They held a 13-0 advantage by halftime and allowed only two fourth-quarter field goals on the defensive end. Now, Detroit is 2-0 and alone atop the NFC North preseason standings.
But, as we all know, the preseason doesn’t matter. The 2008 Lions – the only unit ever to finish 0-16 – went undefeated in their four exhibition contests. Thus, it isn’t the final score that should be the highlight of Detroit’s matchup with the Jets. Rather, here are three takeaways we should remember from the team’s unofficial home opener.
Preseason Week 2 Detroit Lions Takeaways
Defensive Line Stays Alive
After Kerry Hyder was officially ruled out for the entire 2017 campaign, it looked like Detroit’s defensive line was going to be a huge weak spot moving forward. But the Lions countered those assumptions quickly. On just the third play of the game, defensive end Cornelius Washington plowed through Jets quarterback Christian Hackenberg. The huge sack resulted in a nine-yard loss and a forced fumble. Although New York would ultimately recover the loose ball, Washington’s hit set a tone for the rest of the contest.
Soon, Akeem Spence joined the party, adding two tackles and a sack of his own. By the end of the first quarter, the Jets ran three series. Each one ended with a three-and-out, and after 12 minutes of football Detroit’s starters limited New York to three yards of total offense.
Of course, this may not mean much. The Jets’ offense has the potential to be among the worst the NFL has seen in recent memory. Therefore, the Lions’ dominant showing is likely more of a crystal ball into their opponent’s dark season than their own future success. Nonetheless, it is never a bad sign when a unit is performing well, even if it is against a team as incompetent as the New York Jets.
First-Team Offense Looking Strong
Last week in Indy, head coach Jim Caldwell took most of his first-team offense off the field after only one series. But on Saturday, that starting unit played the entire first quarter. Quarterback Matthew Stafford, meanwhile, ensured he would make the most of the snaps he got.
The ninth-year quarterback completed eight of his 10 passes for 84 yards and a touchdown. Stafford’s two incompletions were both clear misses on his part, with one nearly resulting in an interception. But other than that, the former first overall pick was spot on. Stafford concluded his evening perfectly as well, tossing a beautiful five-yard floater into the back corner of the endzone that fell right into the hands of Marvin Jones. That score gave Detroit a 10-0 edge just as the second quarter began, a lead they would not relinquish.
Stafford, however, wasn’t the only starter who took advantage of more playing time against New York. Ameer Abdullah didn’t shine, amounting 16 rushing yards on four carries and five yards on a single reception. But the running back did get a chance to get more reps in after totaling only two snaps last week. Golden Tate also played well, catching two passes for 34 yards after not receiving any targets against the Colts.
The starters should see their workload increase even more as the team prepares for a Friday meeting with the Patriots. Hopefully, that just means another opportunity for Stafford and company to sell themselves in front of the home crowd yet again.
The Receiving Corps
There was some bad news that came out of the Lions’ most recent victory, though. T.J. Jones, currently the team’s number-three receiver, had to leave the contest after suffering a hamstring injury in the first half. The Notre Dame alum amassed 11 yards on one catch before heading to the locker room. An injury is never a good thing for a football club, and Detroit will hope that Jones’ absence isn’t a long one. But they do have a replacement that may ring a bell to those that watched the team’s win over the Colts last Sunday.
Kenny Golladay didn’t quite have the same presence against the Jets as he did in Indianapolis. The rookie receiver caught only one ball for six yards, numbers that pale in comparison to his two touchdown performance in week one. He did, however, play one series with the first-team offense on Saturday even before Jones was forced to exit.
Jim Caldwell is becoming increasingly confident in his third-round selection. And now with Jones hurt, expect Golladay to be even more involved in the offense as the preseason concludes. The 6’4”, 213-pound freak is the the true red zone target that Detroit has lacked since Calvin Johnson’s unexpected retirement. Furthermore, he’s a perfect complement to the short-and-quick playing styles of Tate and Jones.
While we’re on the topic, Jones may have been the player of the game for the Lions on Saturday. The 27-year-old led the team with four receptions and 34 yards, including that picture-perfect touchdown reception from Matt Stafford. The sixth-year receiver ended 2016 – his first season in the Motor City – in disappointing fashion after starting off among the league leaders in receiving yards. But with Tate, Golladay and Jones at his side, he’ll look to rebound and help lead Detroit’s under-appreciated receiving corps to glory.
Conclusion
The Detroit Lions have had a successful exhibition season thus far. But, as mentioned before, going undefeated in the preseason means nothing. Just ask the 2008 Lions. Therefore, they may want to lose a game or two before the regular season begins. Luckily, they’ll have a chance to do just that when they take on the defending Super Bowl champion New England Patriots on Friday at Ford Field.
