Detroit — Here are five film-based takeaways after reviewing the tape from the Detroit Lions’ 17-13 preseason win over the Washington Commanders.
We’ll take an in-depth look at the play of the two quarterbacks, dissect the performance of Detroit’s four starting offensive linemen to see action, as well as a number of rookie defenders.
Also, we’ll highlight two players who popped more on the tape than the live viewing, as well as two disappointing days contrasted against expectations entering the contest.
Quarterbacks
Earlier in the week, coach Dan Campbell said the team’s backup quarterback competition remains open.
My initial, internal reaction was, “How open are we really talking?” With Super Bowl aspirations, and a roster truly capable of getting to the championship game, would the Lions truly consider installing an undrafted rookie in the critical role behind starter Jared Goff.
Fully convinced veteran Josh Dobbs entered Saturday’s game with a hearty edge for the job, Campbell’s words merited a more thorough evaluation of the quarterback play.
Let’s begin the assessment with Dobbs, the game’s starter and front-runner for the role.