Mr. do it all: The Detroit Lions re-signed defensive lineman John Cominsky to a two-year contract this offseason and it might turn out to be one of the sneaky good moves for GM Brad Holmes. Not only does Cominsky make everyone around him better, but he can be an impact player too. He had a nice sack early in Saturday's preseason loss to Jacksonville and forced a Jags turnover on downs when he knocked down a 4th and 3 pass at the line of scrimmage. – Tim Twentyman
Comparisons: It was one of those games Saturday when a fan could choose which stat in the first half was most upsetting. It could have been the score – a 12-0 lead for the Jaguars. Two other candidates – a 9-4 advantage for the Jags in first downs, or 206-48 in yards gained. Take your pick. – Mike O'Hara.
Rough go of it: With Detroit's top six offensive linemen getting the afternoon off, Saturday was a chance for the backups upfront to stake claim to one of the few roster spots remaining along the offensive line. Overall, it was an underwhelming performance by the collective group.
Detroit mustered just 131 total yards of offense and 35 rushing yards. Jacksonville's defense had six quarterback hits, four tackles for loss and a forced fumble when a defender hit quarterback Teddy Bridgewater on a missed assignment upfront.
"We'll look at this tape and find the guys we can rely on," head coach Dan Campbell said after the game. "Brad (Holmes) and his crew they are looking at everything and it's not just our own squad. They are looking at 31 other teams, too. We're always evaluating and always looking." – Tim Twentyman
Playmaker: James Houston had eight sacks in seven games as a rookie last year, and he showed that same playmaking against the Jaguars. He had six tackles – four solo and two assists – one sack and four tackles for loss. There were plenty of chances to make plays on defense, and Houston took advantage. – Mike O'Hara
Last WR spot(s): We know the top four at receiver for Detroit heading into the regular season – Amon-Ra St. Brown, Marvin Jones Jr., Josh Reynolds and Kalif Raymond. With Jameson Williams suspended the first six games there's at least one roster spot and maybe two available. Undrafted rookie Chase Cota continues to make the most convincing case among the next batch of receivers on the roster looking to secure a roster spot. Cota had Detroit's only touchdown Saturday and also had a 28-yard punt return. – Tim Twentyman
Spark: Quarterback Nate Sudfeld needed one – and got it briefly. After going 2-for-5, Sudfeld led a 57-yard TD drive in the third quarter that ended in a one-yard TD pass to Cota. Cota was wide open in the end zone on fourth and one. – Mike O'Hara
Resilience: It's a trait Campbell looks for in young players. When a player gives up a big play or gets a flag, which is going to happen, how do they respond? A great example of a young player showing resilience Saturday was undrafted rookie cornerback Steven Gilmore.
Gilmore gave up a 48-yard completion on Jacksonville's second possession of the game that led to a field goal. No big deal. Gilmore responded later with an interception off a deflected ball and a terrific deflection in the end zone. In this league it's all about what happens next, and Gilmore showed resiliency and showed the moment isn't too big for him. – Tim Twentyman
Weapon: Punter Jack Fox looked to be in regular season form vs. Jacksonville. He was forced into action eight times as the Lions struggled to move the ball offensively with any consistency. Fox finished with a 45.5-yard average and a 42.9-yard net average. He had a long of 62 yards and dropped three inside the 20-yard line. – Tim Twentyman
