The Detroit Lions were back in the friendly confines of Ford Field for the second preseason game of their schedule, during which they earned a 17-13 victory over the visiting Washington Commanders; their preseason record has been evened up at 1-1.
Once again, the Lions mostly utilized reserve players, including backup quarterbacks Luke Altmyer and Joshua Dobbs.
Following the game, Altmyer had nothing but great things to say about the atmosphere that over 50,000 Lions fans brought to Ford Field for a contest with nothing on the line but bragging rights.
As Altmyer would explain, he and fellow QB Jared Goff spoke with one another about the rowdy atmosphere in the building.
“We were raving about how loud it got,” Altmyer said via 97.1 The Ticket on X. “Even in the fourth quarter, it was late in the game, and people were there. For a preseason game, it was super loud and really fun; people were into it. There weren’t many empty seats, either. It was just super cool.”
“This stadium, this city has a lot of personality, and I’m glad to be a part of it.”
During Saturday’s game, Altmyer completed 9-of-13 passes for 86 total yards.
Luke Altmyer Is Competing For The Detroit Lions’ Backup Quarterback Position
Altmyer, who was never drafted into the NFL, spent two seasons at Ole Miss before transferring to Illinois, where he spent the next three seasons.
He would later be signed by the Lions as an undrafted free agent, and turned heads during OTAs with a strong performance.
Dan Campbell Says The Backup Role Is Open For Competition
Before the game against the Commanders, head coach Dan Campbell made it clear that the competition is ongoing for who gets to claim the official backup position behind Jared Goff.
“It is still open,” said Campbell of the backup QB competition. “We’re going to start Dobbs this game. But they’re both going to play equal amounts, is the plan here, between [Dobbs] and Altmyer.”
“Dobbs is a bright guy. He’s played in this league. We are just making sure we got him up to speed. Being true to that,” Campbell added. “But also, Luke’s a young player. He’s promising. Trying to soak him with reps. So it was just kind of a little bit of that.”
The Lions will conclude their preseason schedule next Saturday on the road against the Indianapolis Colts before beginning the regular season at home against the New Orleans Saints on Sept. 13.
QB Luke Altmyer Shares His Take On The Detroit Lions Fanbase