Every week during the regular season Tim Twentyman will answer 10 good questions from his X account @ttwentyman in a feature we call "10 Questions with Twentyman."
20man: I know Matthew Stafford and the Rams had some success in the passing game. They threw for 317 yards last week against the Lions, but if you watch the film a little closer, you may have a different perspective of the way Detroit's new-look secondary played overall.
They didn't let anything over their head, which is job No. 1. The 63-yard completion by Tyler Johnson was a short catch-and-run in which Carlton Davis III slipped on the play. Davis also slipped on Stafford's one touchdown, a 9-yard pass to Cooper Kupp.
Detroit dropped two interceptions in the contest. If they make those plays and Stafford finishes with like 250 passing yards three interceptions, you probably feel much better about the performance overall.
It's a unit that didn't get much time together in camp because of injuries. I'd expect them to continue to play more consistent and take advantage of opportunities to make plays the more time on task they have together.
20man: DJ Reader was a full participant in practice this week and I wouldn't expect a lot of limitations in terms of snap count for him. The nice thing for the Lions and defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is now they have really good depth inside with Alim McNeill, Reader, Levi Onwuzurike, Kyle Peko, Mekhi Wingo and Josh Paschal's ability to play both inside and outside.
Onwuzurike playing as well as he did last week gives the Lions a natural rotation inside and the ability to naturally spell Reader some, but I would think Reader gets a pretty full load. After talking to him in the locker room on Wednesday, I know he's super excited to get going and to make an impact after a really long rehab process.
20man: This is going to come down to a numbers game and matchups every week with Houston. Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week when asked about Houston, it really came down to either Houston or an extra defensive back when they think about who will be active and inactive on gameday. Special teams will also play a factor.
It's why the Lions tried to make Houston a SAM linebacker in camp to expand how they can use him and make him an easier fit on the 48. That didn't work out and now he's strictly a defensive end that has to fit into the numbers game. He still brings a ton of value with his pure ability to rush the passer, but he's a situational player.
Does Detroit opt for the extra defensive back or for Houston this week? I'd love to see Houston but my gut tells me they go with the defensive back with Ifeatu Melifonwu still out of practice and Kerby Joseph appearing on the practice report this week with a hamstring injury.
20man: I thought the entire league outside of a few teams showed some rust in the passing game Week 1 and that's not uncommon given your point of teams not playing a lot of their starters in the preseason anymore. Consider this: In a league that has clearly become a passing league over the last decade plus, there were only two teams who threw for over 300 yards Week 1 – Miami (319) and the Los Angeles Rams (304).
I would expect that number to at least triple Week 2 as offenses settle in and teams now have film on opponents and how they scheme with their personnel. Week 1 is the great unknown in the NFL and we usually see a much better brand of football Week 2 and beyond, especially when it comes to the passing game. I expect the same thing with Ben Johnson and Detroit's passing attack this week against a Bucs' defense that is pretty banged up and missing a lot of players in the back end of their defense.
20man: Nothing I have seen over the last six months watching Jameson Williams in the offseason training program and training camp suggests to me that he can't.
He has grown up on and off the field, and he's been a different player since arriving back in Allen Park in March. This is what we've seen pretty consistently from him for months now.
I certainly wasn't surprised by his Week 1 performance. If teams are going to continually focus on Amon-Ra St. Brown and leave Williams with one-on-one coverage, I would expect him to continue to eat. His speed and playmaking are really going to give a defensive coordinator headaches when they know they have to stop Detroit's run game first, maybe with an extra guy in the box, and then worry about St. Brown and Sam LaPorta over the middle of the field. What do you stop? Who do you double? That's why this offense has a chance to be even better with Williams more involved this season.
20man: My understanding is that nothing was done to or added to the Ford Field turf heading into Week 1. Campbell said the same thing when asked about it this week.
The Lions have a turf field inside at the Meijer Performance Center, but they also have two outdoor fields they heavily utilize because of player safety. In fact, the Lions didn't conduct a single training camp practice that was open to media this year on the indoor field. I think it was a case of just being on the turf for the first time this year and everything moves a little fast Week 1. I don't expect it to be as much an issue this week.
20man: Good question. I was asked the same question last week and thought it might be Tim Patrick, but Campbell opted for Tom Kennedy, who ended up playing four snaps on offense and six on special teams and didn't record a statistic.
Given the fact the only receivers targeted Week 1 by Jared Goff were Williams and St. Brown, there could be some discussion this week to infuse some more playmaking into that group.
"All of those guys are competing," Campbell said this week. "That's why when you're on the vet squad, every day you put in the work and our eyes are open. I told them all that last week and so we're paying close attention to (Patrick) and (Allen) Robinson as well. So, all options are on the table, and we'll just take it as it comes."
20man: I didn't walk away from that game thinking Goff was under a lot of duress. He was pressured 10 times and sacked twice. That's not egregious in my book. If there's one position I worry the least about week to week, it's the offensive line, though the Penei Sewell ankle injury is worth monitoring.
20man: Not as much as you think. I've always considered football a game of execution first and foremost. You can know something is coming and still not be able to stop it because of execution.
The Lions are going to come into this game wanting to establish the run and play their physical brand of football. The Buccaneers are going to take multiple shots down the field in the passing game to their terrific skill weapons. Every team has their fundamental principles they don't stray from until they are forced to.
There's also enough difference every year due to personnel changes and the fact that there is usually about 33 percent roster turnover year over year. Mix in injuries and the fact that Tampa Bay has a new offensive coordinator in Liam Coen, and there will be plenty of new wrinkles each team hasn't seen despite the fact they'll be playing for the third time in less than a year.
20man: Good one to end on. Like most kids who grew up in Michigan, I was and forever will be a huge Barry Sanders fan. There's always a lot of debate on this but he is the best running back to ever play the game, in my opinion.
The great part about this job is I've gotten a chance to know Sanders the football ambassador and man off the field over the last 16 years and he's an even better guy than he was football player, and that's hard for someone who as accomplished as much as he has.
