The Detroit Lions are in Kansas City today to take on the defending Super Bowl champion Chiefs in the second preseason game for both clubs.
The Lions dropped last week's preseason debut, 14-3, to the New York Giants and will be looking for more consistent play and production in all three phases today.
Here are five things I'll be watching out for in this matchup:
1. Starters?
Lions head coach Dan Campbell said earlier in the week he was thinking of playing some starters, but a final decision would come down to how he felt practice went over the course of the week and the work the starters got.
"I know that Coach Reid always plays his guys, and I'll go back to what I said the other day, honestly, so much of this for me is going to be about what we get out of (Monday) and then the scrimmage that we have (Wednesday). That will have a huge bearing, I know for me, on what we do with these starters," Campbell said.
"There again, if I feel like we need quality work on all three phases and you put enough reps on them, then we probably won't play a lot of these guys. But if not, we feel like they do need a little bit more with some guys, then we'll play them. It really is that simple."
In the second preseason game last year vs. Jacksonville, Campbell opted not to play any of his starters, but they also participated in joint practices against the Jaguars leading up to that game. Kansas City declined Detroit's offer to conduct joint practices this week.
Detroit canceled their planned scrimmage on Wednesday because of the number of injuries they are currently dealing with. That could affect Campbell's decision too, not wanting any more key contributors added to the injury report so close to the regular season.
2. Backup QB battle
Veteran Nate Sudfeld didn't have his best performance last week against the Giants in rainy and windy conditions in New Jersey, finishing 13-of-24 for 96 yards with an interception and a passer rating of 46.5.
Hendon Hooker came in for the second half and gave the offense a spark, going 5-of-9 passing for 36 yards and also rushing four times for 34 yards (8.5 average) to lead the team before leaving the game at the end of the third quarter with a concussion.
Hooker returned to practice Wednesday and is likely to play in the game today as the competition to be Jared Goff's backup has just a couple weeks remaining.
"Improve," Campbell said this week of what he wants to see from the veteran Sudfeld later today. "And I would say that with any of these guys, just make the smart decision, do the things that, end of game, end of half, third downs, that we know that's why you're here, and just make all that clean."
The weather in Kansas City is expected to be perfect for today's contest – 88 degrees and sunny – so both quarterbacks will have better conditions to operate in than last week's rainy contest.
3. Rookie building blocks
A number of rookies put some nice performances on tape in their debuts last week. Coaches and front office personnel will be looking for more of the same this week.
Campbell talks all the time about wanting to see young players stack up good performances, and the last thing they want to do is see regression this close to roster trim time.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Terrion Arnold, Sione Vaki, Mekhi Wingo, Isaiah Williams and Isaac Ukwu highlighted the rookie performances last week against the Giants. We likely won't see Arnold or Rakestraw play in Kansas City after they suffered injuries this week, but all the other first-year players will be looking to build on those performances. Will the game start to slow down a little bit for them now that they have one under their belts?
4. Keep up momentum
It's been a really good week for kicker Jake Bates after he nailed a 53-yard field goal in less-than-ideal weather conditions in New Jersey last week and then ended a practice earlier this week by hitting a 64-yarder that had room to spare. Bates was a little inconsistent to begin camp, but he's settled in over the last week.
The Lions believe in him and want to continue developing him, which is why they haven't signed another kicker to compete with Bates since Michael Badgley was lost for the season with an injury earlier in camp.
Can he keep up the good momentum he's built by kicking well again tonight? That includes a clean production on kickoffs too. He had a penalty last week for a kick short of the landing zone.
View photos from Day 14 of Detroit Lions training camp on Wednesday August 14, 2024.
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), Detroit Lions tight end Shane Zylstra (84) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31), Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff (16) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety C.J. Moore (38), Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions linebacker Malik Jefferson (52) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Daurice Fountain (12) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kaden Davis (88) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Craig Reynolds (13) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions tight end Brock Wright (89) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Sione Vaki (33) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3), Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (43) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams (9), Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back Jake Funk (36) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions running back David Montgomery (5) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions Head Coach Dan Campbell during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Kindle Vildor (29) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31), Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions cornerback Amik Robertson (21), Detroit Lions linebacker Jack Campbell (46), Detroit Lions linebacker Derrick Barnes (55) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14), Detroit Lions safety Kerby Joseph (31) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Kalif Raymond (11) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions safety Ifeatu Melifonwu (6) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown (14) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson (97) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions wide receiver Isaiah Williams (83) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
Detroit Lions punter Jack Fox (3), Detroit Lions kicker Jake Bates (43) during training camp at the Meijer Performance Center in Allen Park, MI on August 14, 2024. (Jeff Nguyen/Detroit Lions)
5. No. 4 WR
The best competition right now is for the No. 4 and possibly No. 5 receiver spots. Who ultimately emerges behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams and Kalif Raymond there?
"We're waiting for somebody to step forward," Campbell said this week. "We're dying for somebody to step up and say 'Hey man, I'm the guy. I'm the guy you can depend on. I'll be the same consistent player every day and find a way to make the plays that come my way."
Daurice Fountain, Donovan-Peoples Jones, Kaden Davis, Isaiah Williams and others are competing for those spots. The Lions need a lot more from the passing game tonight vs. the Chiefs than they got last week against the Giants.
Can any of these receivers fighting for roster spot show out tonight and separate themselves from the pack? If not, maybe the No. 4 receiver to begin the regular season isn't yet on the roster.
