Finally, the Detroit Lions will play a real football game again coming off a frustrating 2020 season, and a dramatic offseason which featured much change playing out off the field in 2021.
Officially, it will be out with the old and in with the new when the team takes the field on Friday, August 13 against the Buffalo Bills, and win or lose, there is guaranteed to be some interesting lessons that come as a result of the first exhibition contest playing out in two years.
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What will be the most intriguing storylines to watch as the games kick off for real this week? Here’s a look at what to watch in Week 1 of the preseason for Detroit.
Can Dan Campbell Have a Better Career Start Than Matt Patricia?
While the preseason will always be exhibition and nothing more, it seems notable looking back that Patricia lost his first game 16-10 against the Las Vegas Raiders back in 2018. During that game, the Lions started slow, looked disorganized at times and struggled on both sides of the ball all around. Two years later, many of those same problems were still dogging Patricia’s team, leading to his eventual dismissal. While the first preseason game shouldn’t mean everything in terms of judgement, it can certainly help get things off on the right foot for the franchise at a critical time on the field. For Campbell, the hope is things go smoother than the 2018 preseason and regular season opener. From the start, the old coaching staff seemed to be behind the eight-ball. Campbell cannot watch that play out for his tenure. Win or lose, there has to be a feeling of organization that Patricia never achieved.
What Does the New Offense and Defense Actually Look Like?
So far, there’s been plenty of bread crumbs left this offseason about what Lions fans can actually expect when the preseason gets underway. Anthony Lynn has commented about how he wants to see balance between the run and the pass, and the team use the powerful running game and offensive line as a major asset. Defensively, Aaron Glenn hasn’t been bashful about discussing his hopes for running a 3-4 scheme, changing plenty of positions for traditional Lions pass rushers along the way. It is always interesting to see the schemes with which the staff will run and how organized the team looks within them. Those facts, while early, point to how much buy in the staff has with the players and how well a staff full of former NFL stars is doing teaching and communicating their plan.
How Much Run Will the Lions’ Starters Receive?
It’s a different preseason for teams starting now, and with three games, will that change the plan for how much run starters get? This past week, Dan Campbell seemed to hint that he was planning to play the starters for a quarter, but it’s possible that could change if there is an injury or the group plays consistently to begin. At that point, there could be a mentality of deciding not to risk it for the best interest of the team. So far, it seems as if there will be limited run for the first-string players, but consistency or inconsistency could always change that for the Lions in real-time on Friday night. Seeing how much time is needed for the starters will be a good litmus test for what Dan Campbell plans to do the rest of the way.
How Will the Lions’ Rookie Class Start Their Careers?
While the preseason is never make or break for a player or a class, it’s safe to say that multiple Lions have not had the best starts possible in recent years in terms of getting their careers started. This class seems different for the Lions, and could be poised to make a huge impact right off the bat. While much might not be learned about Penei Sewell, every other pick should be on full-display for plenty of time on Friday, so it will be interesting to see what the likes of Levi Onwuzurike, Alim McNeill, Ifeatu Melifonwu, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jermar Jefferson bring to the mix. This class could set a bedrock foundation for the new regime, so it seems notable that all figure to get plenty of run in their preseason debuts.
Who Makes the Best First Impression for Roster Inclusion?
The NFL is a major ongoing job interview every single season, which is something Lions coaches have talked about all week long leading up to the first game. As part of that, players are going to be scrapping to step up and find roles for themselves. No matter what year it is, there are always pleasant surprises in the preseason that make a huge impression pushing toward the season. Whether it’s on the offense or defense, there will be multiple chances for new Lions to step up and earn roles for the future, starting against Buffalo in this game. Seeing who can step up will be fun.
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