The Detroit Lions’ preseason opener against the Cincinnati Bengals was a 16-14 loss, but it still delivered a few clear storylines worth watching as the exhibition slate gets rolling.
Rookie quarterback Luke Altmyer handled the offense with a steady hand, looking calm and composed throughout his snaps. That was a bright spot on a night when second-year wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa had a rough go of it.
One of Altmyer’s passes clanged off TeSlaa’s facemask, popped into the air, and ended up in the defense’s hands. It was another frustrating moment in what has already been a difficult camp for the Hudsonville native, and the coaching staff is expected to keep giving him chances as the preseason continues.
The bigger buzz, though, came on defense. Ahmed Hassanein kept flashing, and his impact showed up in a hurry with a first-series sack of Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow. He added a sack-fumble later in the game, further strengthening the case that his stock is climbing fast.
Hassanein’s performance stood out as the biggest takeaway from the game. If he can keep stacking days like this, he looks like a player who could carve out a real role in the defensive line rotation. Coming out of Boise State, the belief was always there if he found the right fit, and now that potential is starting to show up on the field.
He plays with relentless energy, the kind that can overwhelm an opponent in a hurry. Dan Campbell has already noted that it sometimes needs to be controlled, but that’s a problem every coach would rather have than the alternative. From the broadcast view, it was easy to see why he stood out, and Kelvin Sheppard likely felt the same way after watching the tape.
In Other News...
Lions Injury Scare Feels Different Now But One Concern Remains
Detroits preseason opener came with the kind of injury scare that can tighten a coachs jaw in a hurry, but the early read from Dan Campbell was at least encouraging on two fronts. Ennis Rakestraw and Mekhi Wingo both came out of the game with issues, yet Campbell said Rakestraw is likely dealing with an arm contusion rather than anything more damaging, while Wingo may enter concussion protocol without being viewed as seriously hurt.
Loren Strickland is the name that still leaves a little unease hanging in the air. His injury is the one that remains unresolved pending imaging, and until those results come back, the Lions are left to sort through a preseason moment that felt heavier than a routine tuneup but now looks manageable in spots and uncertain in one key place. [Read more 🡒]
Ahmed Hassanein Just Gave The Lions A Pass Rush Reason To Hope
Ahmed Hassaneins return to the field in Detroits preseason opener offered the kind of early reminder teams hope to see from a young pass rusher coming off a long absence. After missing all of last season because of a pec injury, he made his presence felt against the Cincinnati Bengals and added to a camp that already had him drawing more opportunities. For a Lions defense looking for more pressure up front, his timing could not have been much better.
Hassanein has been earning more playing time throughout training camp, and the preseason stage only strengthened his case for a larger role. He was around the ball, finished plays, and gave Detroit another edge option to consider as the roster starts to take shape. The real question now is whether this strong start turns into something more meaningful once the games count, because the Lions suddenly have a pass rush conversation worth following. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Preseason Opener Put Several Roster Battles Suddenly In Focus
The Lions first preseason game against the Bengals offered an early look at a roster that still has plenty to sort out, and the 16-14 loss did not do much to settle things. There were encouraging signs from Hassanein, who came away with two sacks, and from Saylors, who led the team in both rushing and receiving yards, while Jake Bates accounted for Detroits only points through the first three quarters.
Still, the opener also put some of the margin-of-error players in sharper relief. Isaac TeSlaa and Frazier both had uneven moments, with turnovers and penalties showing up at the wrong times, and that is exactly the kind of detail coaches tend to lean on when roster decisions start getting real. For a team trying to separate itself from the pack at the bottom of the depth chart, those next snaps may matter as much as the scoreboard did Friday night. [Read more 🡒]