NFL News & Analysis

NFL Preseason Week 2 Game Recap: Detroit Lions 27, Indianapolis Colts 26

Indianapolis Colts defensive end Dayo Odeyingbo (54) celebrates with Indianapolis Colts defensive tackle Caeveon Patton (64) on Saturday, August 20, 2022 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Detroit Lions defeated the Indianapolis Colts, 27-26. Nfl Detroit Lions At Indianapolis Colts

A failed Indianapolis Colts two-point conversion with less than a minute to go in the fourth quarter allowed the Detroit Lions to emerge with a 27-26 victory on Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium.

Editor’s note: All grades in this article are subject to review. All PFF player grades will be finalized by 12 pm ET tomorrow.

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DETROIT LIONS

QUARTERBACK

Player Comp/Att Yds YPA TD/INT Rtg
David Blough 16/22 76 3.5 1/1 73.3
Tim Boyle 12/15 99 6.6 1/0 116.4
  • Blough played the entire first half and finished 16-of-22 for 76 yards a touchdown and an interception. Blough posted a pedestrian 5.9-yard average depth of target, but his day ended on a high note, finishing the first half with a five-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Tom Kennedy. Blough totaled two big-time throws Saturday, as well.
  • Boyle had a little better luck pushing the ball downfield but not by much. Still, Boyle went 12-of-15 for 99 yards and a touchdown, and he did a good job keeping Detroit's offense moving downfield in combination with Detroit's running game. Boyle also recorded a big-time throw.

RUNNING BACK

  • Craig Reynolds performed well in D’Andre Swift or Jamaal Williams‘ absence, totaling 37 rushing yards from five carries for 5.3 yards per carry. Reynolds forced one missed tackle on the ground in addition to adding one reception for five yards as a receiver.
  • Justin Jackson also thrived on the ground Saturday, averaging an outstanding 7.7 yards per carry on the back of seven carries for 54 yards.
  • Godwin Igwebuike also performed well, forcing five missed tackles on his way to 32 rushing yards and a touchdown from seven carries.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

  • Even without a gaudy yardage total, Kennedy was Detroit's most productive receiver against Indianapolis, as he hauled in five receptions from seven targets for 24 yards and two touchdowns. Both touchdowns came inside the 10-yard line, as Kennedy displayed an ability to be a red-zone asset if called upon. Kennedy also recovered the onside game that effectively ended the game in Detroit's favor.

  •  While Kennedy hauled in the two scores, Trinity Benson accumulated the most receiving yards among Detroit's pass-catchers, posting four receptions from five targets for 44 yards — all four of which went for first downs. Benson also forced two missed tackles on the day.

OFFENSIVE LINE

  • Detroit's offensive line struggled mightily in pass protection, as tackle Kendall Lamm (six), tackle Matt Nelson (two) and guard Logan Stenberg (two) all allowed multiple pressures.
  • Altogether, Detroit's pass protection managed a below-average 40.4 pass-blocking grade on the back of allowing 16 total pressures from 43 pass-blocking snaps.

DEFENSIVE LINE

  • John Cominsky had a particularly active day upfront for Detroit, posting two tackles for loss, a sack and three total pressures from 14 snaps as a pass-rusher. Cominsky also recorded an incredibly impressive 42.9% pass-rush win rate while also generating three pass-rush wins that didn't result in a pressure. Cominsky also tied for the team lead with three stops against the run.
  • Austin Bryant and Eric Banks secured the Lions' other two sacks on the day, and Bryant posted a 17.4% pass-rush win rate in addition to generating four total pressures from 23 pass-rush snaps.

LINEBACKER

  • Hard Knocks hero Malcolm Rodriguez was tested once in coverage but didn't allow a reception. He had a quiet day as a run defender, accumulating just an assisted tackle on the day in that facet.
  • Derrick Barnes was Detroit's most active linebacker against the run, generating three stops on the day.

SECONDARY

  • Cornerback Mark Gilbert struggled in coverage Saturday, as he allowed four catches from four targets for 49 yards and a touchdown. Two of the four receptions Gilbert allowed went for a first down. On a positive note, Gilbert did secure a stop.
  • Rookie third-round safety Kerby Joseph struggled a bit in coverage, allowing three receptions from four targets into his coverage for 41 yards and three first downs.

INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

QUARTERBACK

Player Comp/Att Yds YPA TD/INT Rtg
Nick Foles 5/6 56 9.3 0/0 105.6
Sam Ehlinger 9/11 136 12.4 2/0 157.8
Jack Coan 7/11 83 7.5 1/0 116.9
  • Foles performed admirably as Indianapolis' starting quarterback Saturday, going 5-of-6 for 56 passing yards. Foles' competent play has to make Indianapolis feel good about its backup quarterback situation going into the regular season.
  • Ehlinger continued Indianapolis' effective quarterback play Saturday, as he threw Indianapolis' first touchdown of the game to WR Michael Strachan. Nonetheless, Ehlinger wasn't done, as he threw a 50-yard touchdown to Dezmon Patmon in the third quarter. Ehlinger finished with two big-time throws and zero turnover-worthy plays. The Texas product posted an elite 91.5 passing grade on first review.

RUNNING BACK

  • Indianapolis struggled mightily to get anything going on the ground, especially in the first half, as no running back was able to accumulate more than 2.0 yards per carry. As a whole, the unit only forced one missed tackle, as well.
  • D'vonte Price was the only Colts running back to accrue more than 10 rushing yards against Detroit, as it was tough sledding for Indianapolis' ball carriers.

RECEIVERS/TIGHT ENDS

  • Even as a rookie, WR Alec Pierce figures to have a prominent role in Indianapolis' offense during the regular season. And while the second-rounder was one of the Colts' few probable regular-season contributors to play Saturday, he finished with just one reception for nine yards.
  • Patmon put together an impressive performance Saturday, as he roasted Detroit's secondary to the tune of five catches from six targets for 103 receiving yards and a touchdown — a 50-yard catch and tumble into the end zone. Patmon accrued a notable 79.4 receiving grade on first review.

OFFENSIVE LINE

  • As a whole, Indianapolis' offensive line allowed eight pressures from 31 pass-blocking snaps Saturday.
  • Guard Wesley French had a particularly notable performance in pass protection, allowing zero pressures while playing every pass-blocking snap for the Colts.

DEFENSIVE LINE

  • Dayo Odeyingbo made his presence felt as a pass-rusher against Detroit, posting a team-high two sacks to go with six total pressures and a 22.2% pass-rush win rate.
  • While Odeyingo generated the most sacks, Ifeadi Odenigbo was actually Indianapolis' best pass-rusher Saturday, as he also secured a sack to go with seven total pressures and an incredible 47.4% pass-rush win rate. His 92.5 pass-rush grade led both teams on first review. He also added a stop against the run.

LINEBACKER

  • In Indianapolis' defensive scheme, it's important that the linebackers are competent in coverage, which wasn't a problem for Forrest Rhyne against the Lions. The undrafted linebacker allowed two receptions from three targets into his coverage for only one passing yard and secured a pass breakup in the process.
  • James Skalski had a rough day tackling for Indianapolis, as he missed three of his four tackle attempts against the run.
  • Sterling Weatherford made the most of his two blitzes against Detroit, notching a hurry on each attempt. He also generated a forced incompletion on the day.

SECONDARY

  • While cornerbacks aren't usually highlighted for their performance against the run, Dallis Flowers broke the mold against Detroit, tying the team lead with two run stops — one of which went for no gain.
  • Third-round rookie safety Nick Cross turned in another impressive preseason performance Saturday, securing a pass breakup from his only target while posting a tackle as a run defender.
  • Cornerback Tony Brown secured the team's only interception of the day.
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