After a couple of bench-clearing brawls in their joint practice sessions, the Detroit Lions are focused and ready for their first preseason game against the New York Giants.
Detroit Lions Prepare To Battle NY Giants In Preseason
While the Lions are riding the wave of success that saw them come within 30 minutes of the Super Bowl last season, the New York Giants hope to rebound from last year’s disappointing 6-11 record. As the Lions and the Giants kick off their pre-season on Thursday night, fans can look forward to a competitive battle.
A New Look For The Giants
After a busy off-season, the Giants parted ways with defensive coordinator Wink Martindale and brought in former Tennessee Titans DC Shane Bowan. The Titans were the best in the league last season against the run surrendering a miserly 3.7 yards per carry. Bowan’s aggressive ground game strategy and stingy red-zone scoring should provide a definite upgrade to a team that ranked near the bottom of the league.
However, Bowen will have to contend with the loss of free-agent safety Xavier McKinney and will rely upon Dane Belton to lead the defense. Belton, one of the main instigators of the bench-clearing brawl seems well poised to take on the role.
Head Coach Brian Daboll’s offense will look vastly different with the loss of Pro Bowl-caliber running back Saquan Barkley who signed with the Philadelphia Eagles as a free agent. To make up for the loss of Barkley, the team signed former Texan / Bills running back Devin Singletary to lead their backfield. Returning from season-ending ACL surgery, quarterback Daniel Jones is eager to retake the field and recapture his previous “Danny Dimes” form.
Thursday night’s game will feature veteran free agent quarterback Drew Lock, recently acquired from the Seattle Seahawks. Although Lock may be new to the Giants offense, he’ll have the support of a core of talented wide receivers in Wan’Dale Robinson, Darius Slayton, and veteran Allen Robinson II. The coaches will see how first-round draft pick Malik Nabors compliments the offense.
The Lions Go To Work Against Giants In Pre-Season
Although it’s unlikely we’ll see quarterback Jared Goff and star wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown play Thursday night, there will be plenty of other athletes to keep an eye on. Second-year quarterback Hendon Hooker will take the field for the first time since injuring his knee almost two years ago at the University of Tennessee. Hooker will finally get a chance to prove himself while competing for the backup role against veteran quarterback Nate Sudfeld.
In addition to St. Brown, the Lions have a strong supporting cast of receivers including outstanding tight end Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams.
Mentored by St. Brown and free of the injuries and off-season issues that previously plagued him, Williams has been coming into his own and is expected to step into the number two slot.
Battling for spots on the roster is a group of talented wide receivers who stood out in training camp this month including Daurice Fountain, Kaden Davis, and Maurice Alexander. Veteran wide receiver Fountain has looked especially promising in camp with several key plays including a 15-yard touchdown reception from Goff last Friday.
Second-year running back Jermar Jefferson looked good and is expected to make the 53-man roster as a complement to the dynamic duo of Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery.
Upgrading The Defense
One of the key initiatives for the Lions this past off-season has been upgrading DC Aaron Glenn’s defense. Adding to the outstanding power trio of standout talents Aidan Hutchinson, Brian Branch, and Alim McNeil, are first and second-round draft picks, Terrion Arnold and Ennis Rakestraw.
Off-season acquisitions of Cincinnati Bengals DL DJ Reader, plus veteran cornerbacks Amik Robertson and Carlton Davis add promising depth on defense.
While it may only be the preseason, based on the intensity and drive this team exhibited in camp, if the Lions can recapture the superior playing style that characterized last year, it’s going to a thrilling season for the city of Detroit and their fans.
Main Image: Kimberly P. Mitchell / USA TODAY NETWORK
