The preseason is officially over, and the Lions closed it out with a 25-16 win over the Colts. Now, the toughest part begins: cutting the roster down to 53 players.
The preseason has finally come to an end, and the Detroit Lions will officially enter the regular season with a 2-1 preseason record after defeating the Indianapolis Colts 25-16.
Detroit’s rushing attack was in full effect Saturday, as Jacob Saylors carried the ball 17 times for 100 yards. The Lions finished with 43 rushing attempts for 186 yards as a team. If you take away the quarterbacks and a carry by Dominic Lovett, Detroit’s running backs combined for 35 carries for 180 yards.
Trayveon Williams also had an impressive performance, averaging 6.3 yards per carry while rushing for 57 yards and two touchdowns. Saylors averaged 5.9 yards per carry while reaching the 100-yard mark.
Josh Dobbs strengthened his case to win the No. 2 quarterback job with an impressive performance. Dobbs completed 15 of 19 pass attempts for 128 yards and two touchdowns, putting together his best performance of the preseason.
Luke Altmyer, on the other hand, had a solid but unspectacular outing. He completed seven of 11 passes for 55 yards but threw an interception. Altmyer also had two fumbles, recovering one while losing the other.
Lucky Jackson finished as Detroit’s leading receiver with five receptions for 94 yards. Jackson Meeks contributed with two catches for eight yards, including a touchdown. Tay Martin also found the end zone, finishing with four receptions for 16 yards.
Cornerback Ennis Rakestraw, who had struggled throughout training camp and the first two preseason games, turned things around Saturday. Rakestraw recorded six total tackles, one pass deflection and an interception, strengthening his case to make the Lions’ final 53-man roster.
Detroit’s defense also generated consistent pressure, finishing with nine quarterback hits. Myles Adams, Skylar Gill-Howard and Eric O’Neill each recorded two.
Jake Bates, unfortunately, did not have his best performance. Although he did not attempt a field goal, Bates went just 1-for-3 on extra-point attempts. Bates has struggled with extra points at times in the past, and the Lions will hope Saturday’s performance is not a sign of things to come.
Detroit will now have less than 24 hours to evaluate the final preseason game before the team must submit its initial 53-man roster by 6 p.m. Sunday. With several players fighting for roster spots, Saturday’s performances could prove extremely important for players on the bubble, including Rakestraw.
The Lions will now turn their attention toward the regular season as they continue preparing for their Week 1 matchup against the New Orleans Saints.
