Lighter day: The Lions backed down the intensity and length of practice Wednesday after going hard on Tuesday. They have an inter-squad scrimmage planned for Thursday, which is the final practice of training camp before Saturday’s preseason finale and Sunday’s roster trim down to an initial 53. It was about an hour-long practice, getting in some good situational team periods.
Offense starts hot: The first 11-on-11 team period gave the offense the ball starting at the defense’s 40-yard line. A Jahmyr Gibbs nine-yard run started the period off well for the first-team offense, but an Aidan Hutchinson sack on second down was a good response from the defense and set the offense up with a 3rd & 6 from the 36-yard line. It took just one play and a perfect throw deep down the middle from quarterback Jared Goff to a streaking Jameson Williams for the offense to claim a victory with a touchdown strike.
Second TD for offense: The two first-team units squared up again a short time later with the offense again getting the ball at the defense’s 40-yard line. The defense started strong and forced the offense into a 4th & 2 at the 32-yard line. When Goff and the Lions have needed a big conversion or key play over the last five seasons, All-Pro wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown usually gets his number called.
That was the case Wednesday on this fourth-down play. Split out wide left, St. Brown ran a great route and gained a little separation from cornerback D.J. Reed. Goff found St. Brown right in stride when he made an inside move on Reed. St. Brown did the rest from there, resulting in a 32-yard touchdown connection.