Talking Grit: A Detroit Lions Podcast
Talking Grit: A Detroit Lions Podcast
Game Recap - NY Giants Preseason Game #1
The boys go over their initial thoughts on the game. Who excelled, who dissapointed. What were the big takeaways. Should we be worried as fans? Join us to find out!
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welcome everybody back to talking grit. I'm Jason Harwood and with me is Jacob Litton. We're going to do a quick game recap, just our initial thoughts on the game, who impressed us, who disappointed us and, uh, maybe update some, um, on the injuries that we, we saw and happened in the game, so I'm gonna kick it off to you, Jacob, what were your initial thoughts on the game?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:obviously didn't go the way that we wanted it to. Don't really care as much about the win and loss aspect. But, really, didn't really get to see a whole lot. The rain kind of slowed down the passing game. It was raining consistently in the first half, and then it was still wet and everything in the second half. We didn't get to see as much of Hen and Hooker as we were hoping to. Um, really overall, not a great game. What, what jumped out at you?
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:I actually, uh, the main positive I had was the secondary, especially at the start of the game. I thought Rakestraw, Arnold, and Amik, Robertson looked pretty sticky in coverage. Um, I know Brandon Joseph got the interception, but if you look behind that, um, Rakestraw was, Defending the receiver right behind that. And it wouldn't have been complete anyways. So, um, well probably shouldn't have been thrown in the first place, but I was encouraged by that. Um, you know, like you said, uh, rainy weather kind of. Put a little damper on, you know, trying to judge what the performance is. There are some that were impressive and some that, you know, disappointed us. So, um, first I'm going to ask you, what'd you think of the Jake Bates kick?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:You know, it was funny because he trotted out there and especially with the rain and everything, a little nerve wracking. It's like, man, I just really wanted him to make the first one. At least get that one off. You know, ideally he would have had several chances tonight to try to kick some field goals. He only ended up having the one, at least he nailed it.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:good to see that he actually hit it.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah. He had some distance on it too. It was a pretty good kick. I mean, it wasn't. I mean, it wasn't directly down the middle, but on a 53 yard or whatever it was, 53, 54, it was, it was a pretty good kick. I thought they were going to bring them out. They, they had that, um, where they stalled at like the 49 yard line right before half. I was wondering if they were going to bring, um, Bring him out, uh, just to kick that. Cause it was basically, it would have been almost a run out the clock. Um,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:if it was indoors.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah, I just thought that they, you know, whether they got to lose basically, but it looks like they use that opportunity to give, you know, Foxy, um, you know, try to do a corner kick, like just practice corner kick in a, you know, outdoor stadium. That's what I, I'm assuming my son was very upset that. They did not kick the field goal because he wanted to see Jake Bates kick a long one. But I tried to explain to him what I think happened, but I could see his point too. I mean, I didn't, unless they, you know, I don't know there, maybe there was wind blowing another point I made to my son when he told me that I was like, You know, he probably felt pretty good making that kick so probably didn't want to, you know, ruin that good feeling. And, uh, and miss like, even though it would have been like a 64, 65 yard or so.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, I don't think his morale is in a position to try to kick those just yet.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, I agree. You know, and visal just be happy. They kicked a 53. It was encouraging to see him kick it outside. I mean, that. That, that is a positive, especially the up and down nature that he's had in practice. So I, you know, that was nice that he made that for sure. It's the only points of the game, uh, for the Lions. So at least we got on the board, right?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Right. I mean, it wasn't like we didn't have more opportunity to kick field goals. They just didn't really take any of those chances,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:expected as well.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah. I mean, that's, you know, you could say that's Dan Campbell's nature, but it's preseason, what do you have for him? To gain from kicking, you know, a 25 yard field goal or whatever. I mean, if he, if you can't count on him to do that, then he's not going to make the team, you probably learn more about, you know, going for and forth down. Um, even though they were largely unsuccessful with that during the game.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:It
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:You know,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:that we couldn't at least get one of those shots in there,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:I know. Yeah, they had that one shot. I thought DPJ was gonna bring it down. It was just a little bit out of his reach. So that would have been cool. Um, you know, speaking of. The wide receivers, um, the separation for wide receiver three just didn't happen this game, whether that's from poor quarterback play, the weather, I'm not sure, but certainly didn't, um, that answer, uh, that question was not answered during this, uh, during this game, at least in my opinion.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, I don't think the rain helped. You know, obviously it's harder to get the ball off. They also didn't have as much time in the pocket to try to like, you know, scan the field. Just really nobody stood out and it really was no there were no chances to I guess I mean know Donovan Peoples Jones had that one really long catch on a ball that was thrown kind of behind him He had to make an adjustment to I think fountain was only targeted one time and that was broken up The ball was kind of late getting there. Yeah, just you know,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:help the wide receiver battle at all.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:no, it didn't. I mean, Sudfeld missed some, I mean, Sudfeld, in my opinion, played pretty well. Really poorly. Um, you know, I, again, you can blame it on the weather or what you want, but it did not, uh, give me confidence, uh, to have him come in and be the backup quarterback because the offense is stalled. Now, again, he's working with all second and third teamers. So, I mean, you can, you know, You know, use that in your judgment. Um, but you know, you got, you're also playing second and third team on defense. So you should be able to move the ball a bit and the throws that he was making that interception was terrible. He threw like into triple coverage. Never should have thrown that, you know, especially throwing across his body like that. I mean, Sudfeld's not, doesn't have the arm to make that, that throw. Um, just, you know, just not an impressive day for Sudfeld at all.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:But it
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:what,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:it worse that Hooker was able to move the ball.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, well,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:great, but I mean, he, I thought he looked decent, he looked okay, his first game action in a long time.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah, he definitely, um, you know, his legs make the big difference, right? I mean, if the play breaks down, he's got that tool in his back pocket that he can just go to, um, that helps move the chains, which is nice. Um, his throws were in and out. I mean, he, you know, I don't think he was, I think he threw the ball better than Sudfeld to be honest with you, but there were some times that he, you know, he missed some throws too, you know, and then you, you know, whether, I don't know where he got the concussion. And he did get hit in the head. You know, and had that face mask. It could have been there. Um, that collision didn't look like it was too much in the helmet. It looked almost shoulder to shoulder. So I don't know, you know, when he trucked that guy, um,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:No, he lowered the shoulder into him, I don't think that was helmet to
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah, I don't,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:right, I think it was, uh, you know, he got hit in the head and kind of drugged down like that.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah, that's what I'm thinking. I mean, that old shoulder down thing. I mean, that'll get your team behind you. I mean, that was an old Stafford move, right? You know, Stafford used to do one of those plays every once in a while, get one of those angry runs. Um, so I did like that, you know, I don't, I don't, I don't I don't think he got injured on that play. I don't know if I necessarily want him, seeing him do that all the time. And especially not a preseason game. Probably not the smartest move. But it's hard to tell these guys not to play football when they're playing football, right?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Well, especially when it's been so long since he's had the opportunity.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, exactly. It was just disappointing.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:it again for the first time, so.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:I know, and he was moving the ball, too. It was exciting. I think all of us were, you know, we all wanted to see Hendon play regardless, but then the way Sudfeld played in the first half, we really wanted to see Hendon come out for, you know, another reason just to get Sudfeld off the field, essentially, um, and then, you know, They have sub filled back on there. My boys were, it was, uh, that came on right about the time the tigers game came on. So they were, they moved on to, uh, the tigers right at that point. And they'd, they'd yell upstairs. How's it going? I'm like, it's still 14 to three, nothing really happening. So, um, so, uh, you know, let's quickly move on here to, uh, which players impressed you. So do you have like a few players that impressed you the, in the game?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Um, definitely kind of what you talked about at the beginning, the cornerback play. that's what we talked about. We really wanted to see Terry on Arnold and it's rake straw. We want to see how they did, uh, and a meet Robertson that was also out there. Really? mean, I think all three of them played a really good game. The coverage was very good. You know, obviously wasn't there starters that were out there that they were defending, but I mean, You got to guard the guy that's in front of you. And I think they definitely did a great job of that. And, uh, yeah, the interception that we got was the safety Joseph, but it was a coverage pick. I mean, he had nowhere to go with the ball and he had no time. I definitely think the corners, um, you know, stood out to me the most.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:I agree. Uh, Vaki, uh, I'd agree on there. He had some pretty, he had a couple of nice runs. Um, you know, that running back room is, is, there's a lot of, a lot of pieces in that room. So, you know, I, I was hoping to see a little bit more Jefferson because when we saw him at practice, he had some really, um, Really nice plays, but he just, you know, he had some poor offensive line play and he didn't have a lot of room to run, but Vakie also ran behind that line and made some impressive runs, so, you know, it is what it is, but I, I did like, you know, Vakie, um, Hendon looked good. I thought his mobility, he looked pretty confident out there. Um, he, it kind of looked like the opposite of what we thought Subfeld was, you know, Subfeld's like. The veteran and, but he was holding the ball too long and just making poor decisions with the ball. So I thought hand ended all right for especially his first game back, uh, playing in game action. Um, I thought Malik Jefferson number 52, uh, he, he looked really, he showed out, um, a couple of really nice plays. Um, on that 39, there was a third nine play. I think it was on third or fourth quarter. Um, he. Just sniffed out a screenplay and knocked it way back in the backfield and it was really nice and then he had another another Tackle I have notes on that. He made another nice tackle. So he showed out pretty good So, you know not, you know, I don't know if he's gonna make the team, but he he I noticed his number a couple times So that means he's he made some plays
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:He actually was one of the people that stood out at practice as well.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:you know, kind of late getting there to the team and everything like that. Um, far as like the impact that he's making right now, though, I mean, he's doing pretty much anything that you can ask for him,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah. I mean, he's out there. I mean, he's out there in the third and fourth quarter, which doesn't bode well, you know, when you're out there that late in a preseason game, but it's only preseason game one, you know, we'll see where he shows up in two and game three. Um, who, you know, we've also, we've talked about Sudfeld. That was probably the major disappointment of the game. Was there anybody else that, That what you were just, um, kind of disappointed you or just didn't, uh, live up to what your expectations were?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:you know, you know, guess if I had to pick or call somebody out, it would be James Huston.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Exactly.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:you really want him to make an impact. You want to see more out of him. Especially in a game, you know, today where you're not going against the starters or anything like that. If, you know, this is a guy that was potentially going to be starting for us. This is, you know, what we were hoping for is that he was going to be an impact pass rusher. And we haven't seen that in practice and it didn't translate into the game either.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, I was specifically watching him. Um, I know Eric Schlitt tweeted out that he's doing better holding the edge, which is good, but in his pass rush, which is why you're primarily keeping him, right? I mean, you're keeping him for that awesome pass rush. He, he didn't, it did not show out. And so, you know, You know, again, he's playing the second team offensive line. You know, you would hope. You know, if he's potentially going to be a starter or out there, you know, playing, you know, maybe not starter, but maybe second team, um, snaps, he should be able to beat that guy. Especially if he's the guy that we saw in, um, you know, his rookie season, it just didn't. It just didn't translate tonight, unfortunately for him and kind of getting the feeling that's the way it is. And, you know, the way we've been here in practice, his name has not been, you know, coming up a lot in the practice report. So I, I, that was my player too, that, um, you know, part of that's expectations too, right? I mean, I don't think he did anything necessarily bad in the game, but do you. You know, we would expect him to get a sack or get some pressures.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:There's
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Um,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:of pressure, right?
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:so
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:did have, uh, the rookie, Nate Lynn, he's number
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:he actually was back there a lot. I mean, he was making an impact.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah, he definitely was. And then, um, what's the, uh, I can never pronounce his name. The other guy that got a sack, uh, starts with an I, uh,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Oh, what was it? That
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:so he, um, he had a nice sack and I thought for sure he's going to get a penalty because he kind of just jumped on the quarterback's back, but he pulled himself to the side so he didn't land on him. So that was, um, he, that was a good play too. So I,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:was pretty early on too,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah, it was,
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:drive? I mean,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah. Um, I call you out, uh, too, because on, uh, you know, we were, when we were talking to Justin Rogers on Monday, you talked about Kyle Pecco and he. Didn't play today. Didn't dress that's, um, you know, in regular season, that's a bad thing. But in the preseason, that's a pretty good sign that, you know, he's, you know, on the cusp of making the team.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Right,
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah. I mean, but it also may be bad news because, you know, he's going to take the DJ reader spot. So. Might be thinking that, you know, he's not going to, he's going to start the season on the pup list or something like that. So he could read it that way too, but for him, that's a good thing. You know, he's going to probably make the roster. So, um, anything else that stood out to you this game or thoughts that you had?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Um, I mean, if we're going to talk about the injuries, um, you know, we lost another defensive tackle went down. David Bada, um, that looks like that's, you know, he was the one that was carted off, correct?
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Uh, Bata, no Bata was the one that was, he walked off, but he couldn't put pressure on the leg. So they think that's Achilles injury. That was earlier. Connor Galvin was carted off and, uh, Dink.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:look like long term injuries.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, it's like, that's what. Dan Campbell, uh, alluded to in the post game press conference, also Hen and Hooker and Antoine Green both have concussions, so they're going to be in concussion protocol, so we'll see if they'll be in game two or not. I don't know. I mean, then it's the Nate Sudfeld show. Yeah, so, um, you know, on that, with us. And that kind of stinks for just, um, the receivers trying to show out too. If we're not going to, if we're going to have poor quarterback play, it's really hard for those guys to, you know, stand out. So that's something to think about. Um, we're going to have a more in depth look at this game and the training camp. Practices leading up. I'll be at training, uh, training camp practice on Monday evening. So I got the me evening one. So I'll have some notes. I'm going to actually take some notes, Jacob. Um, and I will report back to you. I, I took a report. I took a ton of notes in this preseason game. Did you take notes?
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:I didn't.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, exactly. I'm prepared. You're not. All right. So we'll leave it at that.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:preparing for the preseason game.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:I don't know. Hey, I did. I was practicing just like the players. I was practicing getting ready for regular season. So
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:the difference is that I can rewatch this game and these plays over and over and
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:yeah. Yes.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:to take the notes live. I can enjoy it live.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah. No, that's true. 100 percent true, but I wanted to talk about it right afterwards and I just wanted to be sort of prepared. So, um, so this font.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:say something
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, go ahead.
jacob_2_08-08-2024_232051:Golden Tate said at the end of the, um, the end of the show. And, you know, they were talking about how, you know, didn't look very good. You know, they were gonna, got a lot of game film and everything to go over. And then Golden Tate made the comment, it's never as good as you think, but it's also never as bad as you think that it was. So basically there's positive and negatives to every single play, no matter how good or bad that you think that it was. And, you know, obviously they're going to look at in depth, every single snap, they're going to analyze everything and go over it. So there's some positives to be had in a 14 to three preseason long.
jason-harwood_2_08-08-2024_232051:Yeah, I, if anyone, no one should be jumping off the bridge that this is not a super bowl contender team, none of our start, you know, I wouldn't say none of our starters, but minimal starters played, um, bad weather. They were going forward in situations that they normally wouldn't go for it. Just, just, you know, they're working on situational play. They're not working on, you know, trying to win that game. Dan Campbell could care less about winning that game. Everybody, you know, as a. A competitor, you wanna win a game, but they, you know, they were just working on what they needed to work on. So no one needs to worry. I'm not worried. I, I think, you know, we, we have, you know, we're, the next two games are gonna be largely similar to what this game was, and then we're gonna play, you know, Stafford and, uh, you know, golf are gonna have their showdown on week one. So nothing to worry about, but it was encouraging to see some of the, you know, players in the bubble play Well. The wide receiver room left me disappointed, um, just cause no one stuck out. James Huston left me disappointed, Sudfeld left me disappointed, but I did like Vahki a lot. I thought Hennenhooker showed out well, so positives to take in there, so I'm happy with that. But, uh, anything else you want to add? Yeah. All right. Well, for Jacob, I'm Jason. Go Lions!
