Quick Thoughts on the Detroit Lions’ Loss to Browns

Aug 15, 2013; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns running back Trent Richardson (33) is tackled by Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) in the first quarter of a preseason game at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Weber-USA TODAY Sports

Cleveland Browns 24, Detroit Lions 6 (box score)

OK, this one was ugly. Let’s just get to the bullets.

• It’s never a good thing to draw comparisons to the Marinelli-era Lions but that happened quickly for me tonight. The Lions looked terrible in all facets of the game to the point where they had to be either unprepared or simply disinterested. That had me thinking back to the 2006 preseason when Rod Marinelli thought it was a good idea to test his team’s response to adversity by making a day trip of their game in Oakland. The team flew West the morning of the game then back East immediately following what turned out to be a terrible performance. Charlie Sanders said it best on the postgame show, there wasn’t any intensity and nothing to build on. This supposedly potent offense barely managed 200 yards on the night.
• Will someone actually win the outside linebacker battle between Ashlee Palmer, Tahir Whitehead and Travis Lewis or will two just lose it? Maybe Lewis is already out of the running, that would leave just one “loser” to be identified. Palmer and Whitehead both had moments of lackadaisical play and missed tackles. It would be nice if someone would inspire confidence, but that just isn’t happening.
• Most fans are probably rooting for Havard Rugland to win the kicking job but as long as David Akers is easily hitting 48-yard field goals like he did last night, Kickalicious will be trying to catch his big NFL break with someone else.
• One bright spot was Reggie Bush. Look at his rushing numbers and they aren’t good, but Bush had a couple moments when he flashed exactly what the Lions were looking for when they signed him in the offseason. Matthew Stafford was able to get him the ball in space on a couple of occasions that allowed Bush some room to run. I like.
• I suppose it is natural to expect a rookie punter to show some inconsistency. We got that once again from Sam Martin. He is presumed to be the eventual winner of the job and Blake Clingan hasn’t done anything to change that thinking. After finishing last in punting a year ago, the Lions figure to get better by default with Martin. That being said, it doesn’t look like it will always be pretty.
• Through two preseason games it’s hard not to like what we’re seeing from Devin Taylor. He immediately stood out to me at training camp as he looks different even among a physically gifted group of peers. He’s a big man with long arms, just what the Lions have been looking for at defensive end and Taylor has been showing why. It was a strip-sack a week ago and this week he got another hand on the quarterback reaching around the offensive lineman during his pass rush.