What We Saw: Preseason Week 1

Ben Brown
What We Saw 3 Years Ago
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Titans @ Falcons
Bills @ Lions
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Panthers @ Colts

Bills @ Lions

Final Score: Bills 16, Lions 15

Writer: Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)

 

Football is back, yes, but this wasn’t it. In what was an awful watch for the neutral fans out there, the AFC East champion Bills rolled out new backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky against the newly-acquired Lions signal-caller Jared Goff. As expected, Josh Allen didn’t suit up but first-string running back Devin Singletary saw a lot of work and caught a touchdown pass in the only meaningful action of the first half for either team. Goff did lead the Lions up the field but failed to convert on third down after trying to scramble for the yardage.

The second half was mostly unforgettable. The only bright spark was Lions running back Craig Reynolds, who has bounced around practice squads since coming into the league in 2019 as an undrafted free agent. He ran for a nice 24-yard score before Bills kicker Tyler Bass converted a game-winning field goal as time expired.

 

 

Buffalo Bills

 

Quarterback

 

Mitch Trubisky: 1/2, 10 yards

Davis Webb: 11/16, 90 yards, TD | 2 carries, 26 yards

Jake Fromm: 8/13, 65 yards, 2 Sacks

 

Former Chicago Bears first-round pick Mitch Trubisky wasn’t asked to do much at all in his Bills debut. He essentially handed the ball off to Devin Singletary for most of the opening drive. Five straight runs brought about a third and long, which Trubisky failed to convert after a low throw to Isaiah McKenzie. Don’t expect Trubisky to be anything more than an experienced bench-warmer in this 2021 campaign.

Davis Webb saw the majority of the action in relief of Trubisky. The journeyman backup made a couple of bad errors, including an embarrassing intentional grounding penalty to save himself from taking a sack under pressure. An impressive 15-play drive towards the end of the half resulted in a wide-open Singletary trotting in a pass from Webb for a score. There were 10 runs in the drive, so clearly the Bills are not looking for their primary backups to be airing the ball out this preseason.

Former Georgia standout Jake Fromm got plenty of reps in the last quarter and led the Bills down the field for the game-winning field goal on the back of a sensational deep pass to rookie receiver Marquez Stevenson. It remains to be seen if Fromm makes this team as a third QB but this throw was something special.

 

 

Running Back

 

Devin Singletary: 8 carries, 42 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 6 yards, TD

Matt Breida: 10 carries, 27 yards | 2 targets, 2 reception, 15 yards

Antonio Williams: 7 carries, 15 yards, Fumble | 3 targets, 3 receptions, 9 yards

 

Unheralded running back Devin Singletary looked ready for the season in this one, showing quick feet and illusiveness from the start. He ran the ball well and even had a big early run called back on a holding penalty. With Zack Moss sidelined with a troublesome hamstring injury, the door is open for Singletary to take a hold of the backfield to start the year. He looks like good value as a productive RB2.

 

 

Former 49ers running back Matt Breida averaged a measly 2.7 yards per carry and was at best unimpressive with the opportunities he was given. Flash-in-the-pan second-year back Antonio Williams, who balled out in Week 17 last year by rushing for a team-high 63 yards and two touchdowns in a 56–26 win against the Dolphins, also showed very little in this one.

 

Wide Receiver/Tight End

 

Marquez Stevenson: 3 targets, 3 receptions, 50 yards

Tommy Sweeney: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 34 yards

Brandon Powell: 4 targets, 3 receptions, 14 yards

Isaiah Hodgins: 1 target, 1 reception, 13 yards

Dawson Knox: 1 target, 1 reception, 10 yards

Reggie Gilliam: 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards | 2 carries, 4 yards

Quintin Morris: 2 targets, 1 reception, 5 yards

Lance Lenoir: 1 target, 1 reception, 4 yards

Jacob Hollister: 1 target, 1 reception, 0 yards

Duke Williams: 3 targets

Isaiah McKenzie: 1 target

Tanner Gentry: 1 target

 

It was slim pickings across the board for this group of receivers as the Bills aimed to push the run game all day against this vulnerable Lions defense. The Bills actually had less than 100 yards passing before Fromm led them down the field thanks to the 42-yard deep bomb to Marquez Stevenson. The sixth-round pick out of Houston created excellent separation for the grab and showed a good burst out of the blocks. He could be one to keep an eye on in the next few weeks.

 

 

First-team receivers Stefon Diggs, Emmanuel Sanders, and Cole Beasley did not see any action.

 

Detroit Lions

 

Quarterback

 

Jared Goff: 7/9, 56 yards, Sack | 1 carry, 4 yards

Tim Boyle: 8/15, 38 yards, Sack

David Blough: 5/6, 76 yards, 2 Sacks

 

It was an ugly first series for Jared Goff with his new team, in which he looked as unconvincing as ever as a starting quarterback. After a poor throw on first down, he was then sacked on third down by Bills rookie Greg Rousseau.

 

 

Goff came out for another series and looked markedly more assured. He hit free-agent acquisition Tyrell Williams with a lovely throw to the sideline for a big gain.

 

 

However, it remains to be seen whether Goff can take the next step in Detroit. He failed to show anything new on a tedious 18-play, 70-yard drive which resulted in a field goal after he failed to move past his first read on third and long.

Having to watch Tim Boyle and David Blough for most of this one felt like a punishment. Boyle had an interception nullified by penalty and Blough took two terrible sacks and couldn’t operate outside of his first read.

 

Running Backs

 

Craig Reynolds: 6 carries, 49 yards, TD | 1 target, 1 reception, -1 yard

Dedrick Mills: 5 carries, 32 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 0 yards

Jamaal Williams: 9 carries, 15 yards

Jermar Jefferson: 4 carries, 7 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 0 yards

Godwin Igwebuike: 1 carry, 0 yards | 1 target, 1 reception, 10 yards

Jason Cabinda: 1 target, 1 reception, 0 yards

 

Jamaal Williams drew the start alongside Goff and was used exclusively in the run game. He was ineffective behind what looks on paper to be a strong offensive line, however, recording a worrying 1.7 yards per carry.

Undrafted free agent Dedrick Mills put himself on the map with a number of strong runs, namely a tough 20-yard run up the middle on fourth down and short to set up first down in the red zone.

 

 

It was practice-squad veteran Craig Reynolds who made the biggest splash, however, with a lovely outside run to hit paydirt at the start of the fourth quarter.

 

 

It is a long shot for either of these backs to make the team, especially with D’Andre Swift expected to be given a bell-cow role. Still, both looked more dangerous with the rock than seventh-round pick Jermar Jefferson. The former Oregon State back looked pedestrian across his limited touches.

 

Wide Receivers/Tight Ends

 

Tom Kennedy: 6 targets, 4 receptions, 45 yards

Javon McKinley: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 40 yards

Tyrell Williams: 4 targets, 2 receptions, 30 yards

Geronimo Allison: 3 targets, 2 receptions, 17 yards

Amon-Ra St. Brown: 2 targets, 2 receptions, 12 yards

Darren Fells: 1 target, 1 reception, 9 yards

Kalif Raymond: 1 target, 1 reception, 5 yards

Alize Mack: 1 target, 1 reception, 1 yard

Victor Bolden: 2 targets

Sage Surratt: 1 target

 

It was useful to see how this newly-formed receiving corps lined up and operated with Goff. In a run-heavy playscript, Tyrell Williams and Geronimo Allison lined up alongside rookie Amon-Ra St. Brown when Goff was on the field. Here’s another look at that perfect pass to Williams on the sideline.

 

 

Rookie fourth-round pick out of USC, Amon-Ra St. Brown impressed with some nice route-running in his first action for the Lions. His raw athletic ability has serious potential and he showed his polish as a receiver despite only catching two passes for 12 yards. His best catch, a 13-yard grab was taken away due to a penalty.

 

 

The best of the rest was the undrafted rookie out of Notre Dame, Javon McKinley. He went up for this delightful 35-yard grab from Blough late in the game which led to a field goal to put the Lions in the lead. A true outsider receiver, McKinley could make this team with the bereft of talent at the receiver position.

 

 

Starters Brashad Perriman, Quintez Cephus, and star tight end TJ Hockenson did not suit up for this one.

 

— Benjamin Haller (@benjaminhaller1 on Twitter)

Series Navigation
Introduction
Washington @ Patriots
Steelers @ Eagles
Titans @ Falcons
Bills @ Lions
Cowboys @ Cardinals
Dolphins @ Bears
Broncos @ Vikings
Browns @ Jaguars
Saints @ Ravens
Jets @ Giants
Bengals @ Buccaneers
Texans @ Packers
Chiefs @ 49ers
Seahawks @ Raiders
Chargers @ Rams
Panthers @ Colts

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