The Detroit Lions finished the preseason strong with a dominant win over the Indianapolis Colts, and a big reason for the 25-16 victory was the team's resurgent ground game.
Jacob Saylors was the star of the day in terms of consistent impact, piling up 100 yards on 17 carries. He was the workhorse, and carried the load in an effective way. In terms of red zone savvy, Trayveon Williams was dominant, scoring two touchdowns and rushing for 57 yards on the day.
Heading into final cuts, the Lions are likely to need a few different names and styles at running back. The health of Isiah Pacheco is in question, given the fact that he is dealing with double injuries to start the season. That means the Lions have a choice to make about whether to stay in house for support or make a signing such as Kareem Hunt.
Both Saylors and Williams made the case to stay not just against the Colts, but throughout the entire preseason. It would seem Saylors is safe, but after this performance, Williams could be another name the Lions look in to saving. Whether he makes the roster or the practice squad, there could be a role for a productive back.
Watching both of the players perform over the last few weeks, it seems clear the Lions could get exactly what they need from each player in the duo. As it relates to Williams, he has plenty of NFL experience to boost his case, having spent six years as a runner for the Cincinnati Bengals while also showing up on special teams. For that reason, the Lions could elect to keep him around.
Dan Campbell understands the difficulty of the decisions yet to come
For Williams, it will be a tough day and a half. He joined the Lions during training camp just 14 days ago, but has made a good impression in a short time in Detroit. Now, he will have to wait and see if that was enough to get another shot at sticking on an NFL roster.
Campbell understands the bittersweet nature of this time of year all too well. As a former player, he has a grasp on what everything truly means, and knows he will have to say goodbye to productive players that gave everything they had to the franchise.
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"It is an exciting time and it's also a somber time because we know that we've got to make moves. For those guys that have have laid it on the line with us, some of these guys we may have to let go have been with us for a year and been in our program and have given us everything they had through spring (and) another training camp. (They) did everything we asked them to do and we may have to say 'Hey, we're going to have to move on' and that's a sick feeling and I hate that for those guys. Like I told them, all I can give them is my respect. I appreciate them (and) appreciate everything they did."
In the case of Williams, it shouldn't be that tough of a decision. He's been a solid contributor for the Lions in a short amount of time, and could end up eventually playing a role this season whether he makes the roster or the practice squad.
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