NFL Preseason: Detroit Lions 26, Carolina Panthers 17

Friday night was a chance for backups and players on the roster bubble to  make one last good impression on Detroit Lions general manager Brad Holmes and head coach Dan Campbell with Tuesday's deadline to trim the roister from 90 players to an initial 53 fast approaching.

"I mean to me, they all need to show up," Campbell said this week. "I think a lot of guys need to show up for us and there's a lot of guys that we'll be looking for that we consider depth players, spot starters, guys fighting for jobs, practice squad spots, so I think you're looking for it all. We need everybody to step up."

While Friday was mostly about getting some good evaluation work in, getting a notch in the win column is always fun too, as the Lions finished the preseason with a 2-1 record after defeating Carolina 26-17.

The veteran led back-to-back scoring drives in the second quarter, to tie the game at 10 apiece. He finished his day after a half, completing 13-of-22 passes for 178 yards and a 70-yard touchdown to Antoine Green.

The scoring pass to Green was a well-timed dagger concept, where he hit the rookie in stride. The receiver turned on the jets, and outran the Panthers' defense the final 50 yards for the go-ahead score late in the first half. 

With Jared Goff and Bridgewater likely locked in as the top two quarterbacks, Detroit will have to decide if keeping a third around is worth it. If Sudfeld’s injury is serious, that may make their decision much easier. While the Lions have a fourth quarterback in Adrian Martinez, the rookie quarterback has been getting almost zero reps with the team since the Bridgewater addition—although he did take over for Sudfeld in the preseason finale.

The Lions had been waiting for Green to showcase his potential consistently throughout camp. His best abilities were on full display Friday, as he hauled in three passes for 97 yards and a score.

In the third quarter, several Lions spent time with trainers on the sideline. Quarterback Nate Sudfeld was carted to the locker room, while Dorsey, Green, Isaiah Buggs and Julian Okwara all were looked at. 

Dorsey and Green both returned to the game in the fourth quarter, while Buggs and Okwara did not.

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Sarah H

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