Offensive tackle may be the most volatile position in the entire NFL considering the overall stress of the job, and Detroit Lions fans have likely been holding their breath about the debut of Blake Miller as a result.
The Lions drafted Miller with their first pick in April, and moved Penei Sewell to the left side of the line. So far, Sewell has adjusted to his role seamlessly. Miller has endured his ups and downs in camp at right tackle, but was looking forward to seeing plenty of early action in Week 1 of the preseason. Fans were rightfully feeling a bit anxious about what they could see.
Amid Detroit's 16-14 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals, Miller saw the field immediately with the Lions' offense and didn't look overwhelmed in the least bit. In fact, Miller had a quiet night overall, and didn't draw any attention to himself in a negative way. It was a good start for the rookie with this fact in mind.
After the game, Miller sounded pleased with the fact that he was able to gain experiences both good and bad. He sounded like a veteran in describing the value of the reps he was able to bank in his first career game.
"It was great to be out there. Plenty of stuff to learn off of, and then there's also some good stuff. Just being out there, being able to get some confidence from being in a game environment and things that I can learn from and things I can take away and continue to workshop. It was great."
There will always be subtle things to improve on tape, but the reality is, boring is good when it comes to the offensive line. A lineman that quietly goes about his business and wins most of his reps on the field very regularly makes the Pro Bowl and receives All-Pro nods.
The league is full of players who have wilted in their debut or have struggled up front for various reasons, so for Miller to carry himself like a veteran is a notable development. He can bank that experience, use the tape to refine his talent and look forward to gaining yet another game under his belt
Dan Campbell sounds encouraged by Detroit's play at right tackle
While most of the attention is rightfully on Miller as a rookie top-pick, the fact is, he is still in a competition with veteran Larry Borom to see who will earn the starting nod. It's been a tense camp battle, and there may not have been much separation coming out of Cincinnati even with Miller's good night.
Campbell admitted after the game that while he might not have a great idea specifically what happened until he studies the tape, he was encouraged by the fact that neither of his right tackles had any notable breakdowns that caused him to pay close attention to their position.
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"Until I really watch the film, I can't make a true judgement. I'll tell you this, I didn't feel like my eyes were ever on he or Larry (Borom). And that's a positive. That's a pretty good sign. They're handling their business because I didn't feel like we had any issues on the perimeter with those two guys in there. But I thought (Miller) did a good job. We'll tell on the tape, but I thought he handled it well."
From now until next Saturday, Miller will set out to try and refine his craft even further. When the Lions play the Washington Commanders then, count on Miller wanting to have another uneventful afternoon.
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