Getty Tim Boyle throws a pass against the Bills in a preseason game.
The Detroit Lions are pushing into action for Week 2 of the 2021 preseason against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and looking to avenge last week’s defeat at the hands of the Buffalo Bills.
With time already running short in the preseason, the middle game of the slate allows another opportunity for players to prove themselves and get off to another fresh start in terms of proving themselves to the staff all over again for a new week.
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What players are the most important to watch this week? Here’s a look at the names to remember in Pittsburgh.
Craig Reynolds, Running Back
Amazingly, Reynolds has only been on the team for a week, but after his big debut, it feels much longer than that. The runner wasted no time bursting onto the scene and throwing his hat into a crowded ring at running back. Jermar Jefferson had a decent performance, but if Reynolds could put together another big night, he might make the roster decision pretty complicated on the team’s brass. Reynolds is a hard runner with speed and good vision. Watch to see if he can show that again on the road against a tough defense.
Logan Stenberg, Guard
Detroit’s starting offensive line figures to be in good shape, but when the first team is out, things take more than a considerable dive. That’s been a theme of training camp as well as the early stages of the preseason. Fortunately, there’s a guy who holds the key to a turnaround in Stenberg, and he is a very motivated combatant for the Lions. Stenberg wants to lock down a role for himself, and a good way to do that would be remaining the best of an inconsistent bunch up front. That’s especially true given he should get plenty of duty against a solid Pittsburgh defense that can throw plenty of looks at an offensive line.
Lions Quarterbacks
Jared Goff doesn’t figure to get much run in the game and is likely to not even see the field, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t good things to watch at the spot. After an up and down week filled with small ailments, the Lions added a new name to the quarterback room in Jordan Ta’amu. They still have Tim Boyle and David Blough on the roster as well, and obviously, not everyone will be sticking around in a few week’s time. For this group, it’s go-time this week for game action. Boyle and Blough have to have much better weeks on the field, while Ta’amu has a shot to do what Craig Reynolds did at running back in his first game. The opportunity is there for signal callers to make a big impression on the road.
Levi Onwuzurike, Defensive Line
Activated and given more full run this week in practice, Onwuzurike looked solid and should get plenty of time to knock more rust off at game speed. Already, young names like Alim McNeill and Bruce Hector have impressed in the trenches, so it’s easy to see how Onwuzurike will be hungry and motivated to join that group. The team may elect to be careful with him as well at game speed, but seeing what Onwuzurike does with some of the reps he is given will be a very important watch for fans, and significant for the player himself as he pushes for a fit within his new defense.
Randy Bullock, Kicker
Last week, Bullock was 3-3 on kicks with a long of 28 yards. In a kicking battle, that might look good, but the team didn’t get Bullock any looks from distance or pressure situations to show where he’s really at. The Lions may throw Zane Gonzalez into the fire a bit more this week, but if Bullock gets any work, it will be intriguing to see how he does. The kicking game has taken on a bit of a feel as a mess this year, but Bullock or Gonzalez could quickly ease those fears with another good week, especially if they get to attempt a kick that isn’t seen as a chip shot.