DETROIT (Michigan News Source) – It was a range of players seeing their final preseason game for Detroit Lions as the cuts for the 2022 season come out this week. Detroit played everyone that they could as the first team saw little action in the 19-9 loss to Pittsburgh.

“This is the toughest time of the year right now. We have 80 players and we need to get to 53 and it is the worst part of this job. It’s hard for these guys who have given everything that they have had, laid it on the line, and done everything you have asked and it’s just not going to work out for some of these guys and it’s hard,” said head coach Dan Campbell.

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The offense produced 315 total yards through two quarterbacks, four running backs, and 12 wide receivers. Tim Boyle started the game going 5-of-15 for 64 yards and one interception. David Blough was 17-of-32 for 160 yards and one touchdown. Detroit started with their first-team offensive line and wide receivers but in their first six possessions had three punts, an interception, and turnover on downs for no points. They were minus Jared Goff and running backs D’Andre Swift and Jamaal Williams. Justin Jackson was the lead rusher and receiver with eight carries for 44 yards and two catches for 39 yards.

It was the defense that looked like a true NFL defense coming together. Defensive lineman Aidan Hutchinson and Charles Harris along with safety Tracy Walker each had a sack. Safety DeShon Elliott posted four tackles while cornerback Jeff Okudah added two tackles. Only allowing three field goals and 59-yards of total offense, the defense held their own vs. Pittsburgh. In the third quarter, defensive lineman Austin Bryant blocked a 30-yard field goal attempt.

Campbell was very impressed with Jeff Okudah’s performance during camp and said, “I feel like he has been trending in the right direction now for two weeks and he finished up strong. I would say that he is looking like our starting cornerback. There’s nothing after two weeks that tells me that that’s not his job right now.”

Being shutout in the first half, Detroit scored nine points in the second half on a field goal and touchdown. Detroit was down 16-0 at the half until Seibert hit a 36-yard field goal in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Blough found Quintez Cephus for a five-yard touchdown but missed the two-point conversion.

Detroit will finalize their roster this week narrowing it down to 53 players for the season opener on September 11 vs. Philadelphia.