Jared Goff won’t see the field, the QB2 battle takes center stage, and Detroit just got an encouraging update on Ennis Rakestraw Jr. Here’s everything you need to know before Saturday’s preseason matchup.
The Detroit Lions are officially set to play their second preseason game of the year against the Washington Commanders this Saturday at noon.
Dan Campbell announced last week that some starters would see action in the game, but one starter who has already been ruled out is quarterback Jared Goff. Many fans, myself included, expected Goff to play in this matchup, but he will remain on the sidelines as Luke Altmyer and Josh Dobbs continue their battle for the backup quarterback position.
Campbell named Dobbs the starting quarterback for this week’s preseason game, with Altmyer serving as the backup.
Detroit also received some positive injury news Friday regarding cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr., who suffered a noncontact leg injury during Thursday’s practice. Campbell said Rakestraw is dealing with an ankle injury, but the injury is not expected to be serious.
Rakestraw’s status for Saturday’s game remains up in the air, but I would not expect him to play. Given the number of injury scares he has already experienced throughout training camp, the Lions have little reason to take a risk with him in a preseason game.
Detroit also announced that the team will unveil its new Nike Rivalry jerseys on Aug. 25, giving fans another reason to look forward to next week.
Campbell also provided some insight into the Lions’ travel plans for their Week 10 matchup against the New England Patriots in Germany.
Campbell said the current plan is for the Lions to fly to Germany on Thursday night before the game. He explained that the team wants to complete as much of its preparation as possible in Allen Park before making the trip overseas.
Whenever an NFL team travels overseas, there is plenty of discussion surrounding how it will handle the travel and the six-hour time difference. The timing of the trip can have a significant impact on how players adjust to the new time zone and prepare for game day.
Some fans believe the team that handles the overseas travel most effectively could have an advantage when the Lions and Patriots meet in Germany. For now, however, it remains unclear what travel plan New England will use.
Before Detroit begins worrying about Germany, the Lions still have plenty to figure out at home, beginning with Saturday’s preseason matchup against Washington. This week’s matchup will be Detroit’s only home preseason game so if you’re looking to attend a cheap Lions game, this is your best bet as tickets will likely be five times more expensive during the regular season than they are for this game.
