Author: Paula Pasche

Of all the preseason games, the third one is always the most crucial. As you know it’s called the dress rehearsal game since typically the starters play for at least the first half.

The Lions’ Friday night preseason game has a bit of a twist. They will face Tom Brady and the New England Patriots, the defending Super Bowl champs.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford had a good camp and looked fine in limited time in the first two preseason games, both wins. He’ll get a chance to stretch out on Friday night playing for a half.

Others will be fighting for starting roles and spots on the 53-man roster.

Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said only safety Glover Quin and cornerback Darius Slay have nailed down starting spots. So he will watch how his defense handles the Patriots’ loaded offense.

Here are five Lions to watch:

1. Safety Miles Killebrew (in photo) is a force on special teams — the guy likes to hit — and when given the opportunity has performed well on the defense. He’s one of those guys making the big step from a rookie to second-year player. He seems to be growing, not regressing.  “I think just being around, understanding NFL football. Having an opportunity to be in our system for our year. Learn it. Being around really smart guys in terms of GQ (Glover Quin) and Tavon (Wilson) that help his development. So, I think he’s been better this preseason, obviously than he was last year,’’ defensive coordinator Teryl Austin said. “And we’re hoping he continues to improve because he’s still a young player who’s got a lot of upside.” He wears No. 35.

2. Nickel Quandre Diggs looks to rebound from an unsatisfactory sophomore year in 2016 after playing well as a rookie.  “I think he’s responded well. Last year was really a kind of eye-opener in terms of how he played. He didn’t play very well, and I’m sure if you asked him, he’ll tell you that,’’ Austin said. “But he’s really looked a lot more like the player that played that first year for us, really around the ball, active, physical, doing a lot of really good things. And I think he’s risen to the challenge.” He wears No. 28.

3. Linebacker Steve Longa, who was undrafted in 2016, spent most of last season on the Lions practice squad. So while he saw action in just one game, he’s familiar with the defense. He’s been one of the standouts so far. Like all the linebackers, he’ll learn to play all three positions. “Steve’s been a pleasant surprise. Runs around, physical, got a really good nose for the ball and again, that’s a good competition. I think that’s one of the areas where again, on our defense, we’ve had a lot more competition for spots. It’s not, ‘Well, you know you’ve got these five and maybe one other guy.’ I think we have a lot of guys fighting for spots and he’s one of them,’’ Austin said. “I think he’s done a really, really good job. He is a physical, get-after-it type of guy and you see that on defense. He does the same things on defense that he does on special teams. You just don’t see as much of it because he hasn’t played as many snaps.” He wears No. 54.

4. Tight end Michael Roberts, the fourth-round pick, has a shot at making the roster. “Mike Rob is learning a ton, he’s going out there, he is max effort every play. He’s getting a bunch of them right, he’s getting one or two wrong here and there, he’s correcting it and moving forward,’’ offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter said “We’ve had pretty limited reps with Matthew Stafford so far this preseason, however many drives that’s been, three or four or five, I don’t know. But, at a certain point that’ll probably take place, but within the development of these guys, we want to make sure we’re putting them in the right position and putting them in a place to succeed and to improve, so that’s what we’re doing with Mike.” He wears No. 80.

5. Running back Dwayne Washington was pushed into service last year as a rookie due to injuries at the position. The coaches love his physicality but he has to work on his reads. The seventh-round pick has to earn a spot on the roster. “You’re talking about young guys going from year one to year two, getting a bunch of reps in the offseason and us seeing improvement along the way. So, we are seeing that improvement,’’ Cooter said. “He’s by no means a finished product, plenty of getting better to do, but I’m encouraged with the way he’s kind of attacked this training camp, attacked this offseason.” He wears No. 36.

While it is just a preseason game, perhaps the Lions will get a better sense of where they stand by facing the New England Patriots, the defending Super Bowl champions, on Friday night at Ford Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.

Since it’s third preseason game look for the starters — including Matthew Stafford — to play at least the first half.

Patriots quarterback Tom Brady told the Boston Herald that he enjoys playing in the preseason and looks forward to getting back out there on Friday night.

Here are five comments from the Lions on facing the Patriots:

1. Jim Caldwell says it will be fun. “Obviously, any time you get a chance to play against a team that hasn’t lost very many games in the last decade — we’ve been battling against them a long time when I was in Indy for a number of years and even in Baltimore, we obviously had to battle against them as well, and they’ve always been good,’’ Caldwell said. “They make very few mistakes and not only that, they are technically sound as they get in every single phase. I mean, you just look across the board and look at the stats from previous years and they are perennially one of the better teams in our league in almost phase, well at least in the majority of phases. So, that in itself is a challenge for us because you have to be able to play well, so this will be a really good test. Last week we had a really good one with our offensive line, because of the big people they had up front that gave us a real challenge, and this week everybody gets a challenge, which makes it fun.”

2. Defensive coordinator Teryl Austin says it will show, to some extent, where Detroit’s defense stands. “Sure, it’s always, those type of quarterbacks, the upper echelon quarterbacks, they’re really going to test you because they’re going to limit the margin of error you have. So, that’s why coming this week, if Tom (Brady) is going to play, which I assume he will, we’ll get an idea if we’re still making strides,’’ Austin said. “It’s not the end of the world, one way or the other. But it gives us an idea of where we are.”

3. Matthew Stafford seems to look forward to it also. “They’re obviously, you know, a heck of a football team. They had a fantastic season last year. Really good defense last year, No. 1 against the pass. No. 1 in scoring, bunch of stuff. So, really a good test for us as well,’’ Stafford said. “Obviously, our defense will have their hands full with the quarterback like Tom (Brady) and that offensive group and some of the weapons that they’ve added. But we have the same on defense. I mean they’ve got, not really good players, but always have a good scheme for each game and do a nice job.”

4. Safety Glover Quin says facing the Patriots will benefit the Lions. “You’re going against the best team, they were the champs last year. Obviously not the same team but Tom Brady is back, actually they’ve added some more weapons. It’s a good challenge for us,’’ Quin said. “It will be good to go against a quarterback like Tom Brady, an offense like that in the preseason, to see where you are, evaluate some things take a look at some things. It’ll be good for us.’’

5. Running back Zach Zenner sees it as a rare chance to face New England. ”It’s cool, I guess, to have an opportunity to play those guys because typically we wouldn’t,’’ Zenner said.”The only chance I believe we have to face them is now or the Super Bowl. To have an opportunity to play against the defending champion is cool and we’re looking forward to it.’’

Hope is certainly not a strategy when it comes to the Lions’ run game which was ineffective for the past several years. It was ranked 30th in the NFL in 2016, 32nd in 2015.

It’s been a point of emphasis all through the offseason. It’s a big reason they signed veteran free agents T.J. Lang to play at right guard and Rick Wagner for right tackle.

Offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter (in photo) has been working on it too.

“It’s been a big, big, big point of emphasis for me, myself. So, just dealing with my own background, what I’ve gone through, all that stuff. It’s been a really, important point of emphasis for me this offseason,’’ Cooter said this week. “I think I have personally improved in the run game, how I seen things, how I call things, some of those things. And at the same time, it is a player’s game.’’

Coach Jim Caldwell said the run game will be a concern for him until he is satisfied with it.

“Sometimes it just takes you a while, takes you a little bit longer than what you’d like in some cases. But that’s the way this game is. It’s not an easy fix and you’d like to see it turn around immediately, but that’s not the case,’’ Caldwell said.

He’d like to see 100 rushing yards a game. He’s not greedy, said they don’t have to run for 150 yards, but must be respectable.

Caldwell is optimistic the ground game will improve when the season starts on Sept. 10.

He has two specific reasons to see the glass as half full. Their names are Ameer Abdullah and Theo Riddick.

“I think I’ve told you on a number of different occasions that when you take a look at the stats, just look at them don’t take my word for it, when Ameer’s in the game, and he’s healthy, and he and Riddick are in the ball game, you look at our numbers,’’ Caldwell said. “And so, those are the things that make us all feel that we can get it done. But not only that, Zach Zenner can run the ball, we got a young guy in (Dwayne) Washington who’s coming along. And they also have to make certain defenses when they see us say, ‘There’s always a passing threat.’ So, when there’s a passing threat, often times that opens up some runs for you just in terms of being able to find some seams.’’

Cooter may be a young coordinator at age 33, but he wasn’t born yesterday.

He’s studied the film, but knows the reality.

“Outside of that (option) type of football, there’s not a lot of magic, creative run plays. A lot of guys are running the same run plays. If you leave this system and go to another system, you might call it some other word, but you know, our six or seven, or eight guys are blocking their six or seven or eight guys in the same pattern,’’ Cooter said.

”It looks the same whether you’re watching our game on FOX, or you switch over to CBS and you watch one of those AFC games back-to-back. So, we’re doing the same thing, I’m excited. I think our guys are getting better, what you’re supposed to do in training camp, and I do think we’re going to be better running the football this year,’’ Cooter said.

Time will tell.

Obviously the Lions need Abdullah and Riddick to stay healthy. Zenner has had a good offseason and there is optimism that Washington will take a leap after his rookie season when his ability to find holes to run through was an issue.

“When (Washington is) able to find the point of attack and hit it, he’s tough to bring down. He runs over guys, through guys, around guys,’’ Cooter said. “I think he is improving with his run reads and where he’s putting the ball. He’s improving in pass protection, which is something that doesn’t always show up maybe to the naked eye, to the fan at home on the TV copy. He’s a young guy that this is a big offseason for him to improve. I see him making those strides. Needs to keep them coming, but I do see him making positive strides, and like I said, really physical guy. I would not want to tackle that guy.”