Getty Craig Reynolds runs against the Bills with the Lions.
The Detroit Lions battled hard amid a 16-15 loss to the Buffalo Bills during the preseason opener on Friday, August 13, and while the team may not have won on the scoreboard, plenty of players stood out in a positive way for their work on the field.
Detroit has a roster full of players who are battling in a big way, and that showed up in the game, as the intensity was there from start to finish for many scrapping for the roster.
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Which players made the biggest impression for their work so far after Week 1 of the exhibition slate? Here’s a look at the names Lions fans will want to remember this week.
Craig Reynolds, Running Back
After being signed a day before the game, Reynolds quite literally did not know any of his teammates. He made a heck of a first impression, running for 49 yards and a score in the game, and nearly bringing Detroit back offensively on his own. Reynolds is fighting the likes of Jermar Jefferson for roster inclusion, and it’s more than possible that the Lions will like him enough if he can keep impressing to stick around. Reynolds barely knew the playbook and was able to make a big impact, so it will be fun to watch what he can do once he gets comfortable and gets his feet on the ground.
Bruce Hector, Defensive Tackle
It’s a crowded battle for the Lions up front along the defensive line, but Hector made his case to stick moving forward with a very good and active night. Not only did PFF cite Hector as one of their top-graded players on the evening, but his play matched those metrics given his 4 tackles, 1 sack and 1 tackle for-loss. Hector might have a way to go before he cracks the roster, but this was a good introduction for him that could lead to the team keeping him around for the future in some capacity.
Julian Okwara, Edge
Okwara didn’t have a great start to his career in 2020 thanks to injury and other inconsistency playing out, but quickly put those concerns in the rear-view mirror with a nice performance against the Bills from a pass rush perspective. Okwara put together 1 sack on the night, and didn’t look overmatched whatsoever after getting plenty of run on the field. It would be a big story for the Lions if Okwara could come to the forefront and be a wild card in terms of the pass rush. That would help the Lions out in a major way defensively.
Amon-Ra St. Brown, Wide Receiver
The Lions wideout didn’t get much run given the team expects him to be a starter and key contributor, but in the time he was on the field, St. Brown did impress decently given his ability to run routes and not look out of place whatsoever in terms of his new NFL peers. St. Brown looks like he is going to be an answer for the Lions at wideout, which is huge news in terms of the team, given their need for wide receivers. St. Brown’s rapid development would be a huge story for the Lions, and given his play in the first preseason game, it seems safe to say the Lions will give him every shot at being on the field for chunks of time.
Tom Kennedy, Wide Receiver
The last few seasons, Kennedy has shown his chops in practice, but finally, fans got to see him perform in a game. Kennedy was Detroit’s leading receiver on the night, with 46 yards on 4 receptions in the game. The Lions are looking for anyone to step up at wideout, and Kennedy’s solid performance is an interesting start to the preseason considering he could fight his way on the roster with a good camp and preseason. So far, it seems as if Kennedy is primed to do just that potentially, especially after his opening statement to the Lions in this football game.
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