Tag: Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Jake Fromm impresses in his unexpected Lions debut

Recently signed QB Jake Fromm impresses everyone, notably Detroit head coach Dan Campbell, in his unexpected Lions debut

Jake Fromm wasn’t supposed to play in the Detroit Lions preseason game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Head coach Dan Campbell said as much in his final press conference of the week.

Heck, Fromm didn’t take a single snap in either practice leading into the game. Brought in as a camp arm to provide reps while Hendon Hooker was sidelined with a concussion after the first preseason game, Fromm got precious little action in practices once Hooker quickly returned.

So it was a little surprising when Fromm, wearing No. 18, trotted onto the field in the fourth quarter of Saturday’s exhibition. With the outcome still up for grabs, Fromm calmly, efficiently iced the game into a sweet victory for the Lions in his two drives.

Fromm played well, no doubt about it. Given the scant prep, the practice squad refugee from several other teams looked great. Fromm completed 6-of-8 passes for 89 yards, leading the Lions to a touchdown drive and into victory formation at the end.

Campbell, who had all but ruled out Fromm during the week, seemed quite happy that he gave the Georgia alum a chance.

“Man, I like Fromm,” Campbell said after the game. “The kid can play a little ball. There’s something about him. He understands where his answers are at, what to do with the football.”

Campbell continued, noting his antenna was up for No. 18.

“I see him. So, what does that mean? I don’t quite know yet, but I know this is that he’s intriguing,” Campbell stated. He’s got a little football player in him.”

To echo Campbell’s question, what does that mean for Fromm in Detroit?

We’ll find out Tuesday, but it sure looks and sounds like Fromm might have played his way onto the Lions’ practice squad.

Hendon Hooker showed he isn’t quite ready in Lions preseason win over the Steelers

Second year Detroit QB Hendon Hooker showed he isn’t quite ready to be the team’s only backup QB in Lions preseason win over the Steelers

Saturday’s preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers was a golden opportunity for Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker to show he was ready to be the team’s backup behind Jared Goff. Getting the start against a Steelers defense that played several starters in the first couple of drives was a great chance for No. 2 to prove he can be the No. 2 QB in Detroit.

Unfortunately for Hooker, it didn’t play out well.

Hooker struggled early. While he completed three of his first four attempts, the first quarter ended with Detroit netting minus-7 yards passing. That’s because an indecisive Hooker took four sacks, including a strip-sack that resulted in a turnover. While the protection in front was not great, at least two of the sacks appeared to be directly on Hooker for not getting rid of the ball when he had chances, even if just to throw it away and live for another down.

One of the biggest tenets of Ben Johnson’s complexly creative Lions offense is making the correct read and being confident in that read. It’s hard to tell if Hooker made the correct reads, but it was clear he wasn’t confident that he had in those early drives. The first four possessions resulted in five net yards and two first downs as the Steelers raced out to a 14-0 lead.

The story did change once the Steelers removed anyone who will actually play for Pittsburgh from the defensive lineup. Hooker then settled in and led two straight scoring drives to close out the half. The ball came out quicker and more decisively, perhaps a function of being under less pressure from the reserves on the Steelers defense.

Hooker also ran well, just as he did in the prior preseason games. It’s an added dynamic, and it felt like Hooker picked his spots to run smartly in this one. He did forget to slide or avoid unnecessary contact on a couple of those runs, however. Regardless, picking up a team-best 93 yards on 10 carries is an impressive feat for Hooker.

He did some very impressive things with his arm and his legs. Two of the passes he missed later in the game were great throws that should have been caught, along with a bad drop from TE James Mitchell. Hooker finished 12-of-20 for 114 yards, one touchdown and one INT before giving way to Jake Fromm for the final two drives.

It was an overall decent performance, but the context of when he looked decent and when he didn’t is critically important. If the goal was to prove he’s the No. 2 quarterback and ready to step in for Jared Goff against top defenses, Hooker didn’t accomplish that at all. He continued to prove he’s still exactly what Dan Campbell said he was this week regarding the battle with Nate Sudfeld (who didn’t play vs. Pittsburgh) to be Goff’s primary backup,

“You have to have conviction that whoever that guy is going to be able to keep this ship afloat and what we know about (Lions QB Hendon) Hooker is, Hooker is a young developing quarterback and he needs reps and he needs time. I do know that. And Nate right now has the upper hand because he’s played more. He’s been in it more, he’s seen it more.”

Hooker’s day validated Campbell’s doubts that Hooker is ready right now to be that No. 2 quarterback. That might change through the season, and hopefully it’s not even a question next summer when Hooker is entering Year 3. But the Steelers game did nothing to advance Hooker into the No. 2 role or convince anyone that the Lions can roll with just two quarterbacks.

5 key players to watch in Lions preseason finale

5 key players to watch in Lions preseason finale, from Hendon Hooker to Brandon Joseph

The final preseason game is all about sorting out the Detroit Lions depth. Very few of the players who will ever matter in a regular season game–unless necessitated by injury–will play in the Lions exhibition finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

For those battling for the bottom of the roster spots, practice squad berths or auditioning for their next football destination, it’s a very big day. There’s still a ton to play for and take away for so many players.

These five stand out as ones to really watch in Detroit’s matchup with Pittsburgh on Saturday afternoon.

Hendon Hooker

Hooker is efforting to prove he can be the No. 2 quarterback, earning the trust from the coaching staff to take over for Nate Sudfeld in the primary reserve role behind Jared Goff. He had a very strong performance in leading Detroit’s comeback win over the Chiefs a week ago, and another game full of good decisions, accurate passes and timely runs would go a long way for Hooker.

Giovanni Manu

Manu, like Hooker, is in no danger of being cut. But the raw rookie offensive tackle desperately needs reps to get up to as fast of a speed as he can. The message from the team has been consistent from the second the Lions drafted Manu: 2024 is a redshirt season for the giant Tongan who played Canadian college basketball until discovering football.

Manu had a very solid performance in Kansas City, and he’s shown technical improvement in practices. He’s still incredibly green, but the progress could be enough that Manu can at least be active in a game and play as an extra tackle in packages in the regular season. Continued growth and confidence against the Steelers would be great to see.

Mitchell Agude

Dan Campbell brought up Agude during the week, and it’s important to heed the coach’s words:

“I see growth. We like Mitch. Mitch, he’s another guy, just busts his rear, he gives you everything he’s got out there, and he’s got some rush ability. He’s strong, quick off the edge. And look, we moved him to SAM linebacker last week, so we kind of made that change. ‘Let’s put him at SAM and move (Lions LB James) Houston to more D-end.’ So, we flopped those two. And it’s not necessarily the perfect position for Mitch, but he’s made the most of it, and he’s trying to make it work, and that’s a credit to him. But he still has enough of that where he can play the D-end position and really excel at what he does best, so he’s doing a good job. We like Mitch.”

Agude is fighting for one of those very last spots on the roster. He’s outplayed James Houston and Mathieu Betts all summer — rather emphatically in my eyes. If Agude proves he can handle his business at a new spot after a crash course week of practice, it’s a big feather in his cap. That reserve SAM spot behind Derrick Barnes is Agude’s for the taking.

Donovan Peoples-Jones

Despite repeated challenges to “step up,” it just hasn’t happened for Peoples-Jones in his quest to earn the No. 4 receiving job. The Lions have invested the most in making No. 19 win that spot, both in terms of money and time. I still believe that one big game can reward Detroit’s tested patience in Peoples-Jones and keep him on the roster.

Brandon Joseph

The second-year safety has shown considerable all-around improvement this summer. Joseph has been rewarded by earning first-team reps at safety ahead of Ifeatu Melifonwu when both have been healthy (Melifonwu is currently dealing with another injury), and No. 40 keeps picking off passes and blowing up quick slants. The Steelers bring a very different type of offensive dynamic to Detroit. If Joseph plays well against the different look, it’s going to be hard to knock him from that No. 3 safety role. But if he struggles–notably in decision-making in space–that role swings right back to a healthy Melinfowu, who is a better tackler and blitzer.

Breaking down the Lions depth chart vs. Steelers in the preseason finale

Breaking down the Lions depth chart vs. Steelers in the preseason finale and where practice reps don’t match what’s listed

The final offseason depth chart is now out for the Detroit Lions. This week’s unofficial edition of the Lions roster and how it stacks up was prepped for the final preseason game, Saturday’s home date with the Pittsburgh Steelers in Ford Field.

The starters are pretty well-established on both sides of the ball, and it’s almost certain none of them will see the field against Pittsburgh. Behind that first line, there are a few interesting placements.

It starts at wide receiver, where Donovan Peoples-Jones is listed on the third team offense. Tom Kennedy, Daurice Fountain and Maurice Alexander are all on the second unit ahead of Peoples-Jones, who was expected to earn the No. 4 WR job at the start of training camp.

Kaden Davis, who scored an impressive touchdown in the exhibition win over the Chiefs, is behind Peoples-Jones on the fourth line. Undrafted rookies Isaiah Williams and Jalon Calhoun are listed ahead of Davis, though practice reps throughout the week would place Davis over the entire second-team line at wide receiver. The same is true for Williams, who saw some first-team reps in Tuesday’s session.

Injuries have really shaken up the practice participation for the offensive line lately, with starting RG Kevin Zeitler and reserve tackles Dan Skipper and Giovanni Manu missing practices, plus rookie guard Christian Mahogany still inactive on the non-football illness list. Seeing Skipper listed as the second-team left tackle over Jamarco Jones could be an indication the team still sees Skipper that highly. That’s one to watch in the Steelers game.

Defensively, the depth chart here looks very representative of what we’ve seen in practice when the Lions are in a base nickel package. When they go three LBs, it’s Amik Robertson (or Ennis Rakestraw) in the slot who comes off and Derrick Barnes playing the SAM role. Mitchell Agude has quickly ascended to the second line at SAM while also getting reps that are consistent with Isaac Ukwu and James Houston at end.

One point of contention comes on special teams, specifically the return specialists. Kalif Raymond is the first-team punt returner, but I’ve not seen Peoples-Jones even queue up for reps at punt returner behind him. It’s Isaiah Williams and Maurice Alexander, in that order.

Kick returner also features Williams, Alexander and rookie RB Sione Vaki all getting substantially more reps than either Craig Reynolds or Khalil Dorsey. That’s one of the biggest remaining battles–seeing who earns the jobs (there are two full-time now) as the kick returners.

Preseason rookie report: Quiet day for Lions rookies in loss to Pittsburgh

The Detroit Lions rookies had a quiet day in the 19-9 preseason loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers

In their last preseason outing as rookies, many of the first-year players of the Detroit Lions failed to make much of an impact on the field.

First-round pick Aidan Hutchinson got the start on defense and immediately made an impact. On Pittsburgh’s first offensive series, Hutchinson lined up as an interior defensive lineman and with the help of Charles Harris, was able to get a sack on Steelers’ quarterback Mitchell Trubisky.

Linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez didn’t get the start for this game but did get put in during the first quarter. His biggest play of the first half was on special teams, where he prevented the Steelers’ punt returner from even gaining a yard, meeting him for a tackle the moment the ball was caught.

Demetrius Taylor also got in the game early and was able to team up with Bruce Hector to prevent an attempted run up the middle by Trubisky. He stayed in for most of the game and earned one of the biggest signs of respect any opposing team can give a defensive lineman: constant double teams at the line. Taylor unfortunately was a non-factor for the rest of the game.

Seventh-round pick Chase Lucas took the field late in the first half, relieving starting nickel cornerback AJ Parker. Lucas got the bulk of his playing time in the second half and had some positive moments, including one tackle for loss in the fourth quarter.

Kerby Joseph also appeared near the end of the first half and immediately was picked on by Trubisky and tight end Pat Freiermuth. He also took reps as a gunner on punts in the second half. Overall, his struggles in coverage looked even worse than last week. The third-rounder out of Illinois may need more time to develop than we had hoped.

Undrafted rookie receiver Kalil Pimpleton had quite the up-and-down day. He was targeted in the fourth quarter but dropped the low pass from quarterback Tim Boyle. Not long later, Blough was put in and connected with the rookie for a short gain.

Unfortunately, Pimpleton dropped a would-be touchdown on a fourth-down attempt not long after but did follow up with a big catch-and-run on the next offensive series. The rookie’s day ended on a low note as he dropped a ball on an end-of-game two-point conversion attempt.

Offensive lineman Obinna Eze sat out most of the game but was put in at left tackle for Dan Skipper with about five minutes left to go. He bent but didn’t break as he struggled to contain Pittsburgh’s edge defenders but didn’t appear to give up any pressures on Blough.

Tight ends James Mitchell and Derrick Deese were used sparingly on offense in the second half and were not targeted once. When they did take the field, it was often together in double tight end sets where their primary assignment was blocking.

James Houston appeared in the game as a hybrid defensive end/outside linebacker but failed to make his presence known in any way. Undrafted rookie cornerback Cedric Boswell did not play, and neither did offensive lineman Kevin Jarvis.

First-round pick Jameson Williams is inactive on the NFI list while Josh Paschal is on PUP. Running back Greg Bell is out for the season on injured reserve.

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Mistake-prone Lions fall in preseason finale in Pittsburgh

The Detroit Lions committed too many mistakes and fell to the host Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL’s preseason finale

The Detroit Lions and Pittsburgh Steelers closed out the NFL’s preseason on Sunday afternoon. For the visitors from Detroit, it was not the type of game that inspires confidence for a number of players hoping to make one last positive impression before final roster cutdowns.

The Steelers prevailed 19-9, the byproduct of having a significantly better No. 2 QB in rookie Kenny Pickett and making a lot fewer mistakes than the Lions. Pickett was impressive. The Lions combination of David Blough and Tim Boyle? Yeah, not so much…

Boyle had an epically bad performance, even for preseason. Starting in place of Jared Goff, Boyle completed 5-of-15 passes for 64 yards and an interception where the Steelers DB was the apparent intended receiver. Blough largely struggled as well but did cobble together an impressive late drive, albeit against players who won’t be in Pittsburgh beyond Tuesday’s roster trim deadline.

The Steelers raced out to a 16-0 halftime lead, though the Lions first-team defense held its own despite the offense doing next to nothing. Detroit’s offense struggled to move the ball on first downs and everything spiraled downward from those rough drive starts.

Several players presumed to be on the Lions roster bubble showed up impressively. Among them: RB Justin Jackson, OG Logan Stenberg and CB Chase Lucas. But far too many did not, and it extends well beyond the quarterbacks. Several defensive backs showed a lack of awareness with the ball in the air. The reserve offensive tackles were largely awful, and the depth at WR wasn’t much better.

It’s a wrap on the exhibition season. The Lions finished 1-2, though it cannot be stressed enough that the scores do not matter. Now we wait until Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET for the reduction from 80 players to 53.

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Five players to watch in Detroit Lions’ final preseason game

Our Maz Gerber breaks down five players to watch in Detroit Lions’ final preseason game

The Detroit Lions are headed to Pittsburgh for their third and final game of the 2022 preseason.

The final preseason game is the last chance for many players on the back end of the roster to prove they have what it takes to make it in the NFL. Teams tend to rest their starters in favor of getting extended looks at their depth players.

There are several Lions players who have impressed throughout training camp and the first two preseason games who should be featured heavily against the Steelers. Here are five players to keep an eye on in this matchup:

Lions vs. Steelers: How to watch, listen, stream the final preseason game

Detroit Lions vs. Pittsburgh Steelers: How to watch, listen and stream the final preseason game

The NFL preseason schedule comes to a close when the Detroit Lions visit the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday afternoon. The 4:30 p.m. ET start is the last exhibition game around the league. The Steelers recently changed the name of their home field to Acrisure Stadium

Watch

The game will be televised nationally by CBS on all its platforms as well as over the air. Greg Gumbel will handle the play-by-play and Charles Davis will provide color commentary.

Stream

All preseason games are available to live stream with the NFL+ app on phones or tablets. The preseason games are free of charge on the app.

For preseason games only, fans can also use the Detroit Lions app or visit the team’s website on a tablet or phone. Note that the live streaming will not work on a home PC or laptop.

Listen

The team of Dan Miller on play-by-play, Lomas Brown on color commentary and T.J. Lang as the sideline reporter will handle the radio feed.

The game will be aired live on the Detroit Lions radio network, which features over 40 affiliate stations around Michigan and Northwest Ohio. In Detroit, the game airs on 97.1 The Ticket, the flagship station of the network. The full list of 2022 radio affiliates is available here.

Steelers will start Mitch Trubisky at QB in preseason finale vs. Lions

Trubisky and rookie Kenny Pickett are battling for the starting job in Pittsburgh

There will be a familiar old foe lining up under center for the Pittsburgh Steelers when the Detroit Lions face head coach Mike Tomlin’s team in the preseason finale on Sunday. Tomlin announced that veteran Mitch Trubisky will start at QB for Pittsburgh.

Trubisky–who has reverted back to being known as Mitch instead of Mitchell–and first-round rookie Kenny Pickett are battling for the starting job, taking over in the long shadow of now-retired Ben Roethlisberger. Pickett has had an impressive preseason but Trubisky has also shown enough to make it a legit competition.

Lions fans know Trubisky well from his early days with the Chicago Bears. From 2017-2020, Trubisky went 4-3 against Detroit, throwing for 15 TDs and just four INTs. He had an almost perfect game against Detroit in Week 10 of the 2018 season.

The Lions will start Tim Boyle at quarterback, Detroit coach Dan Campbell announced on Friday. Boyle is efforting to solidify the top backup job behind starter Jared Goff.

Jared Goff won’t play in Lions’ preseason game vs. Steelers but other starters will

Coach Dan Campbell indicated most starters will play about a half but Goff will sit

Lions quarterback Jared Goff’s preseason is over. Coach Dan Campbell declared that Goff will not play in the team’s final preseason matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday.

“He’s not gonna talk me into it,” Campbell joked in his pre-practice press conference on Monday.

Goff also sat out the second preseason game, a 27-26 win over the Colts in Indianapolis. That game followed two intense days of joint practices where Goff played extensively. No. 16 executed a fantastic opening drive in the first preseason game against the Atlanta Falcons and has not played since.

Campbell did note that other starters are expected to play. He also indicated that the Steelers will play their starters “about a half,” according to Campbell’s conversation with Pittsburgh coach Mike Tomlin. The Lions will match that, per Campbell.

When asked if Tim Boyle or David Blough would get the start, Campbell indicated that Boyle was the likely starter but it’s yet to be determined. Blough and Boyle are in a fierce competition to be Goff’s primary backup.

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