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Press writer Rainer Sabin shares his observations from the first half of the Detroit Lions' preseason game with the Washington Commanders on Saturday, Aug. 22, at Ford Field:
- It didn't take long before disaster struck the Lions. On the second play from scrimmage at their own 27-yard line, they lined up in an illegal formation. But that was only the beginning of this oncoming catastrophe. After Josh Dobbs took the snap, the pocket collapsed. Left tackle Larry Borom was beaten inside by linebacker Joshua Josephs, who surged up the middle. As Dobbs veered left to avoid the pressure, he was immediately blasted by former Lions cornerback Amik Robertson. The ball popped loose and was kicked back across the goal line before Josephs pounced on it for a touchdown. Thirty-eight seconds into the game, the Lions trailed, 7-0.
- The outcome of the Lions' second offensive drive wasn't as devastating. But it ended in a similarly ugly fashion. After Borom couldn't hold off defensive end Charles Omenihu, Dobbs was placed under pressure. He then rolled right and flung an ill-advised pass over the middle that was intended for Tay Martin. Instead, a different Martin — Quan of the Commanders — snatched it out of the air for an interception at Washington's 44-yard line. Two possessions, two turnovers. Not good.
- Dobbs earned some redemption when the Lions got the ball back less than two minutes later. Running a zone read, Dobbs zipped 50 yards to the end zone for a touchdown. Martin, a former UFL wide receiver who has received praise from Lions coach Dan Campbell, threw a nice block on the outside that allowed Dobbs safe passage to the open field. With 6:47 left in the first quarter, the Lions and Commanders were tied at 7.
- As the offense vacillated between calamity and victory, the defense held strong. On Washington's second offensive play, edge defender DJ Wonnum — one of the Lions' top free-agent acquisitions this offseason — sacked Jayden Daniels. Wonnum powered past Commanders tight end John Bates, beating him to the inside before snaring Daniels at the Washington 40-yard line. The 10-yard loss led to a three-and-out for Washington. It also set the tone for the rest of the half, as the Lions continued to stymie the Commanders. Late in the second quarter, cornerback D.J. Reed stopped running back Robert Henry Jr. 5 yards behind the line of scrimmage. Two plays later, rookie second-round pick Derrick Moore surged off the edge, beat right tackle Nicholas Petit-Frere and sacked Hartman — jarring the ball loose in the process. Washington netted just 2.6 yards per play during the first two quarters. Context, of course, matters. Daniels played only the first series. His backups, Sam Hartman and Athan Kaliakmanis, then ran the Commanders' offense.
- Upon entering the game early in the second quarter, Luke Altmyer was greeted rudely. On the first drive he led, the rookie undrafted free agent absorbed three sacks. Right tackle Colby Sorsdal, tight end Tyler Conklin and center Seth McLaughlin allowed them. Amazingly enough, the possession lasted 13 plays. But it only covered 39 yards and didn't produce any points.
[ Watch our Lions-Commanders live reactions show and look ahead to the regular season. ]
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Lions observations: What we saw from Dobbs, Altmyer vs Commanders
