For the first time in months, fans of the Detroit Lions will get to watch their team take to the field in competitive action, and though the contest is only preseason and doesn’t count towards wins and losses, it represents the return of football and means the club is closer to their regular season opener.
The Lions are on the road and will face the Cincinnati Bengals at Paycor Stadium on Thursday evening, during which they’re expected to rest their starters and give plenty of playing time to young players hoping to stake a claim to a roster spot.
Former Lions guard TJ Lang, who played college football locally for the Eastern Michigan Eagles in nearby Ypsilanti, discussed the impending matchup and revealed what it was that would truly astound him about Detroit’s upcoming three exhibition games.
Former Detroit Lions Guard And Current Analyst TJ Lang Weighs In On Detroit’s Preseason
While making an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show”, Lang revealed that he would “be shocked” if the Lions didn’t insert their starters into at least a few series at some point during the preseason slate of games.
“I would be shocked if we don’t see Detroit’s starters at some point this preseason, just because they’re not doing joint practices,” Lang said on Thursday. “But we’re not gonna see really any of them tonight.
“I think Dan Campbell is always very in tune of how the practices look, how the starters look. ‘Hey, if we’re having some sloppy practices, maybe we need to get out there and play a few series in these games.’ But I think he’s happy with the way the starters have been playing, so you’re gonna see a lot of young guys.
“Obviously, we’re gonna see Blake Miller, their first round pick. Everyone always wants to see the new guys and what they look like, and he’s gonna be going against Cincinnati’s starters. Heck of an opportunity for him to make a first impression under the lights.”
Meanwhile, Lang is also looking forward to how some of Detroit’s additions perform.
“And some other guys on defense, some other additions, whether – Devon White is pretty new here, but that guy, man, he’s had a heck of a career. I know things maybe didn’t go well for him maybe in Philly a couple years ago, but he was a hell of a player in Tampa Bay and a player I’m excited to watch on that defensive side.”
TJ Lang Appreciated Playing In Preseason Games
Lang, who spent 10 years in the NFL over 138 regular season games, explained that while he felt less of a need to participate in the preseason as his career advanced, he still appreciated the rush that it gave the players.
“I think for me, the older I got, the less I probably felt like I needed to play preseason games,” he said. “But you always appreciated it. Whether it’s joint practices or Training Camp, you can’t stimulate the adrenaline and rush you feel on a game day. You can’t do it, it’s impossible. I was always thankful for getting some snaps and getting that first full live bull rush where you can actually hit the quarterback, and having your ass on the line.”
TJ Lang Reveals What Would Shock Him Over Lions Preseason