When asked what he needs to see in the preseason to feel good about the 2026 season, Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell said this:
“I want to know that we can run the football. I want to know we can stop the run. And I want to know that we’re ready for situational football. Probably those three things, if you want me to feel comfortable. The other stuff will come.”
Let’s back up for a second and focus on the second sentence of that quote. I want to know we can stop the run. That’s something this regime
has hung their hat on since the beginning back in 2021 when Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes were hired with the task of making Detroit a winner. Unfortunately for everyone involved, they couldn’t do either consistently down the stretch of the 2025 season, and it became a major factor in their frustrating 9-8 finish.
As most could have predicted, 2025’s failures reignited something in the ultra-competitive Campbell, prompting him to get his team back to some of the basics they first relied on back in 2022 and 2023. To put it simply, Detroit wants to get back to imposing their will along the line of scrimmage, and defensively, that starts with being excellent against the run. And while it was only a preseason game in August, the Lions’ defense held Washington to just 35 yards on 17 carries.
In this week’s film review, we will be taking a look at how two rookie defensive linemen, edge defender Derrick Moore and defensive tackle Skyler Gill-Howard, contributed to the Lions’ defensive dominance against the Commanders.
Derrick Moore
When the Lions drafted Moore in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft, it felt like a portion of the fanbase breathed a deep sigh of relief. Along with the addition of veteran DJ Wonnum, drafting Moore felt like Holmes and his staff were putting a priority on rushing the passer.
Still, we know in order to play for Campbell—and for defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard—you better be able to play the run, regardless of whether you can sack the quarterback on third down or not. And at 6-foot-3 and 260 pounds, with long, powerfully built arms, Moore is a do-it-all player on the edge. In his preseason debut against the Commanders, not only did he record a sack and a quarterback hit, but he was sound and violent against the run, too.
In our first clip for Moore, we get a glimpse of the power that made him such a productive player at Michigan. Detroit counters the 12 personnel (one running back and two tight ends) with a five-man front that has both Moore and linebacker Trevor Nowaske in two-point stances outside the tight ends. Right before the ball is snapped, you will see Moore, circled in red, take a few steps down the line of scrimmage, while linebacker Joe Bachie fills in to set the edge in the run-fit. Moore jolts the Washington tackle into the backfield, forcing the running back to change direction before he is stopped for no gain on the play.
In our next play below, Washington is once again under center in 12-personnel, with Moore in a two-point stance outside of the right tackle. The Commanders attempt to stretch the run out towards the right side of the screen, but Nowaske, Bachie, and defensive lineman Ben Stille cave in the left side of the offensive line, once again forcing the runner to try and reverse field… right into the waiting arms of Moore, who does an excellent job of staying disciplined on the backside of the run.
Lastly, we have something that won’t show up in the box score, but it showed up a few times in the Washington film. Being the physical force on the edge that teams will certainly attempt to “cut” when they can. Executed properly, a “cut block” is a useful tool that can be used by offensive skill players as a means to get larger, stronger defenders on the ground, making it something defenders must prepare for in today’s NFL.
And just like he did in the clip below, Moore disposed of multiple cut attempts against Washington with ease. He executes perfect technique by defeating the block with his hands while keeping his eyes up where they need to be. If we can see more of this from the rookie on a consistent basis, there should be a nice rotation between Moore and Wonnum at the edge spot opposite Hutchinson.
Skyler Gill-Howard
From a stature standpoint, Gill-Howard is a different kind of player than his teammates at defensive tackle. At 6-foot and 280 pounds, he is shorter and lighter than the likes of Alim McNeill (6-foot-2, 310 pounds) and Tyleik Williams (6-foot-3, 325 pounds). To make up for that, the rookie defensive tackle has to play faster, as well as be more technically sound than his opponents if he wants to consistently win against NFL-caliber offensive linemen.
From a coaching standpoint, that also means putting someone like Gill-Howard in positions to utilize his unique skill set. In this particular clip, we can see him lined up at the three-technique on the left side of the screen. Once the ball is snapped, the left guard immediately fires off and attempts to climb to the second level in order to reach the linebacker. Seeing this, Gill-Howard wastes no time getting across the face of the left tackle, who tried, and failed, to cut the rookie off, allowing him to make the tackle on the ball carrier for a loss on the play.
In our final clip of the study, we see a similar instance to the play above. Gill-Howard is at the three-technique on the outside shoulder of the right guard. The guard climbs up to the off-ball linebacker, while the right tackle is tasked with reaching the three-technique.
It’s a tough block for anyone to execute, let alone against someone with the quickness of Gill-Howard. However, Gill-Howard gets his feet caught up, causing him to lose his footing and go down to the turf. It’s certainly nitpicky, but coaches will always tell you that good football players stay off the ground.
If he can continue to show that he can hold up against the run, I think he can potentially carve out a role for himself as a situational interior pass-rusher on obvious throwing downs.
Overall, it was an impressive performance from both of the rookie defensive linemen. They were effective and made plays in both the passing and running games. Now it’s time to build on those performances heading into the third and final week of the 2026 preseason.
If you’ve missed any of our other film breakdowns from the Lions preseason, make sure to check out:
- How the Lions are finding their own way to play more nickel
- Juice Scruggs makes case for starting role at center
