What To Like and Not Like 2nd Preseason Game

Offense
What To Like

Starters on offense went out and played very well. No Ed Reed, but you know how hard Ray Lewis plays on every play. Stafford and Megatron looked unstoppable. Megatron being Megatron. Megatron had a big 57 yard play on a fly route. Stafford dropped it in his pocket and really put it on the mark. I believe Megatron had something like 93 yards on that one possession that turned into the Lions first 6 of the game. These two are clearly in sync. You'd see CJ on a deep crossing route, once he got passed the first LB, boom Stafford hit him. What they did a ton of was basically a curl. Sometimes it was a curl and sometimes it was almost like a zone read where CJ would come back towards the middle a little more and he is just to big to get around. Jimmy Smith just got schooled and it was a darn if you darn if you don't. You have to play off him, but if you're not on him after 5 yards it's just to easy. There is nothing wrong with 5-6 yards after another. Honestly if I was the DC going against the Lions, I would have a CB basically on man on him. You have to shift safety coverage toward him for deep help. Then quite honestly I would have to have underneath help. You'd have to play a pretty basic cover 2. We don't run really any 2 wr sets, but what you do then. Have LB split out wider than normal to take that away? I would let the Lions running game prove itself. Now in a 3-4 you'd have that LB out there which your almost forced to not rush now. They really did a lot of 6 yards 15 yard hits early and then hit the big play.

Secondary wr didn't really get too many targets because the first read was open so many times. Titus had a nice long td. Pettigrew caught a pass down the middle for a decent gain. I don't remember any drops by the first teamers. Broyles came in with the second team. As you guys know I wanted the Lions to take a WR in the draft, but no earlier than round 3. Round 2 is where we seem to miss and it definitely has made big impact on our seasons. I think the best player available is a smart way to go and I am 100% bought in. Now if we ever get to elite status I will disagree with it. I think we hit with Broyles and Young. Broyles just runs great routes. If you are telling me that he's still recovering boy he's going to be very dangerous. He just seems like Just seems like a guy that goes to work and seems very quiet. So far his persona reminds me of Marvin Harrison, but I think he could be a Welker. I can't imagine with Megatron he would get Welker like number of targets, but just imagine having Welker and Megatron on the same team and we might. So far positive signs. I truly believe that Burleson does a good job mentoring these guys and Shawn Jefferson as their coach.

What about the running game? Kevin Smith looks like a first round talent. I absolutely love he doesn't head south, east, or west, it's a cut and up. He showed some nasty shakes and juked guys, but clearly he has excellent footwork and is making those cuts that make you go really. He looked like he did as when the Lions signed him last year. I thought Williams looked liked a more then capable backup. What I know about Leshoure, I still expect him to be the starter after his suspension is up. Best you just almost have to rule him out and say it happens it happens. Leshoure and Smith are two great RBs. Smith and Williams are definitely good enough in game one. Game two vs the 49ers Smith is going to have to be good and I think he's capable, but it will definitely be tough. They are going to have to ask more out Smith vs the 49ers than the Rams I would hope.

The O line definitely showed the can pass protect and run block. Reiff played with the second group. I really don't get the knock on him unable to pass protect. He looked a superior talent with his footwork and he just amazes me with his patience. He played the right side. He just does a good job of kicking back kicking back and/or sliding if he has too. Once a tackle gets his hands a DE it's over, but when they reach they are done. Most tackles reach. I think the OL showed they had very capable backup players, that are almost starters. Hillard is a great backup and Reiff is definitely a starter caliber. The starters showed they are capable of run blocking and pass protecting against an elite Ravens D.

Not To Like

Mine as well just jump right into the OL. I thought they were inconsistent. I think Reiff is the better RT. Cherilus is more proven, but has shown a ton of inconsistency and don't forget about the stupidity last year against the Bucs. What I've constantly asked is what is our best OL consist of. I'd really like to see Reiff against an elite DE on the left side. I still believe our ideal OL has Reiff taking over the left spot and Backus moving to guard. Now part of the reason I say that is the transition is done and set for years. Backus finishes out his career at guard and Reiff at LT till he's at Backus age and we get a new Reiff. It's not a switch for everyone from year to year. He's showed he's better than the talent he has been facing. There probably is a drop off from Backus to Reiff in pass protection. I'll believe the coaches have him on the right side for the simple fact that Backus is the LT and him and Cherilus are fighting it out. Flat and simple we need better RT play and we need better run blocking than last year. I think Cherilus is too big to move to guard and don't think he can quite get low and drive off liked he'd need too. Our best OL probably has Reiff at guard, but does that hinder his future? Practicing at RT, play guard, and then eventually moving to LT. It is nice to have options, but too many question marks and inconsistency to full comfortable.

The running game did not show very well in the stat sheet. I think a lot of that had to do with the OL inconsistency, but mainly the lack of attempts. There has always been a sexy RB/WR which has been Aaron Brown and Stefan Logan. Stefan Logan has looked great and then not so much. He showed he still has the capabilities to take returns back tot he  house. He showed he can play RB. Logan suffered an injury and it doesn't sound too bad. Thankfully it was an ankle injury so far all good signs considering it took a while for him to get off the field. I can't justify having a returner only on the team especially with the limited amount of kickoff returns. With teams having two kickers in camp one of the kickers will usually not have quite the kickoff leg so you will so more returns in the preseason, but that won't be the case come the regular season. I don't see Logan being a really RB option, it should have happened last year of all years if it was an option. I think Logan's time is sadly done in Detroit.

Defense
Not To Like

Mine as well continue with it. Coverage teams did not look good. The athletic ability of people like the backup LBs Hogue, Whitehead, and Lewis I would thought would really make for a great coverage team. The Lions will really struggle if the coverage teams do not improve. There really isn't too much to talk about. I didn't like the lack of dominance by the front four especially by the second team D. The middle got a good push. Not really much pressure of the edge as much money as we have in the front four and hype I expect more. Especially our second teamers that are start quality against backups. There was a ton of mistackles which is scary.

The punting situation is quite interesting. Many people believe the job is Grahams. Which I guess I strongly believe it's Donahue's and I think that only got solidified. Donahue had one go out of bounce at the two. If he angled it there and knew he'd get that straight forward bounce very impressive. Graham though a rugby kicker does a great job of punting the ball straight up and down. I know it doesn't sound logically, but it gets that sideways roll so basically where it lands is where it stops when he is kicking inside the 20. I give Graham the nod on the inside the 20, but when it comes to punting I'd like to see that stats, but I think Donahue gets much better hang time. Graham had one that was way too low and hard and made the coverage team look bad on a long return. I don't think we have the best punters, but we have two very different punters good in certain areas. More questions marks at another position for the Lions.

To Like

I finally saw the hype of the backup young LBs. The speed of Hogue and Whitehead really stood out too me. They close and tackle very well. One thing just shocked me and still does. Wendling looked like a starter and FYI he did and played against the first stringers. Secondary didn't struggle.