Detroit Lions vs. Bengals: Preseason Rapid Reactions

Some Detroit Lions notes and thoughts coming out of the team’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in game number two of the 2016 preseason schedule.

Preseason game number two for the Detroit Lions is in the books. It goes down as a 30-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals but the result and score is hardly the focus in the preseason.

Far more important is the way the team performed on their way to that outcome. Unfortunately for the Lions, the path was as bad as the destination would indicate.

Here are some quick thoughts and observations from tonight’s Lions loss.

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For the second week in a row, Matthew Stafford was better than the overall performance of the first-team offense. Stafford is a polarizing player and any quarterback will be over-scrutinized as the reason an offense fails or succeeds but the fact is that Stafford is not the weak link right now. That remains the offensive line and the running game.
Most teams’ seasons are in the tank if their starting quarterback misses extended time due to injury and the Lions are certainly no different. Dan Orlovsky has two bad interceptions returned for touchdowns in as many games and while Jake Rudock threw the ball down field some tonight, he had a bad interception of his own.
I don’t know if Rudock can unseat Orlovsky as the backup or even if the Lions will carry him on the 53-man roster or try to keep him on the practice squad but it doesn’t really matter in the long term. Either way, the Lions need another year and another draft to rebuild the quarterback depth chart.
Despite investments in the offensive line in the first half of the draft over the last five years, improvement is not yet evident. Taylor Decker struggled again and while it’s expected that he will take some lumps, the other four men on the line should have the unit performing better than they are so far. It’s possible things jell at some point, but the line is still very much a work in progress.
I’m starting to buy in to Dwayne Washington making the 53-man roster. The kick return for a touchdown last week was nice but he continued to show burst and suddenness tonight – an attribute lacking from the other backs he is competing with for a roster spot. Washington saw action ahead of Ridley tonight, perhaps a good indication of where the coaching staff now sees him in the depth chart.
Matt Prater‘s Lions tenure got off to a rocky start but he quickly solidified the position after the team churned through kickers during the 2014 season and his performance so far gives confidence that the position remains stable in his care.
Getting out of a preseason game healthy is a key fans and media focus on more than teams. Players never approach a game thinking they will get hurt and injuries are just a fact of life in the NFL. But, the Lions got through this game unscathed and that’s to be celebrated in a game with so few positives.

Next: Top 10 Defensive Backs In Detroit Lions History

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Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Preseason Rapid Reactions

By Zac Snyder | Aug 18, 2016

Some Detroit Lions notes and thoughts coming out of the team’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals in game number two of the 2016 preseason schedule.