A Teaching Moment on the Sidelines

During the second quarter of the Detroit Lions' 17-13 preseason win over the Washington Commanders at Ford Field on Saturday, rookie cornerback Keith Abney II drew a defensive holding penalty that nullified a split sack by D.J. Wonnum and Skyler Gill-Howard on Commanders quarterback Sam Hartman. But what could have been a deflating moment turned into a valuable lesson, as reported by M Live Michigan.

Shortly after the penalty, Lions cornerback D.J. Reed approached Abney on the bench with a tablet in hand, and soon fellow defensive back Avonte Maddox and a game official joined the conversation. The group huddled around the rookie as he listened to their advice.

"We were really just going over seeing what the ref saw," Abney told M Live. "He just said my hands were just a little too high, just trying to get them lower. So that's what he was telling us today. And D.J. and Avonte were giving me pointers on that."

Abney acknowledged that he engaged with the Commanders receiver well but stayed with him too long. "I was trying to fight pressure with pressure, but just got to get my hands lower," he said.

Because the NFL's sideline tablet system only shows still images, unlike the video clips available in college, Abney said he plans to review the play during his downtime. He pointed out that the transition from college to the NFL includes this adjustment, and he noted that the conversation with his veteran teammates was straightforward.

Reed and Maddox are both heading into their ninth NFL season, giving the pair a combined 18 years of secondary experience that Abney can draw from as he adjusts to the league. Abney credited players like Reed and Maddox for making his transition easier, as he can bounce questions off them whenever needed.

Maddox, for his part, emphasized the standard he holds himself to. "At the end of the day, I don't want anybody making plays on me," he said, as quoted by M Live.

Abney, a fifth-round pick, has had mixed performances in camp and games, according to M Live, but the Lions expect him to play a significant role this season.

Moore's Impressive Debut

While Abney learned from his mistake, another rookie made a strong first impression. Derrick Moore, the Lions' second-round pick, made his debut at Ford Field and for the Lions in Saturday's game, as reported by Heavy. and Sports Illustrated.

Moore, a 23-year-old defensive end who played college football at Michigan, took 25 snaps—approximately 52% of the Lions' defensive snaps—and generated two quarterback pressures, two solo tackles, a sack, and a quarterback hit, according to Heavy. He also recorded a strip-sack on Hartman, beating offensive tackle Nicholas Petit Frere.

Sports Illustrated separately reported that Moore had one of the Lions' two sacks (the other by Wonnum), along with two pressures and two defensive stops, earning a 70.9 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Heavy. noted that Moore missed the first preseason game due to a groin injury, making Saturday's outing his first game action of the preseason. His performance, Heavy. reported, may make him a frontrunner for the edge job opposite Pro Bowler Aidan Hutchinson.

Moore's excitement about debuting at Ford Field was evident in his interview with sideline reporter Patti Cesarini, as captured by Heavy.

"I feel good to be back out there, playing in front of Ford Field, in front of fans," Moore said. "It is amazing; I played at the Big House. I think they turned it into the Big House. A lot of energy. I am just ready to be here for the season."

Moore's college home, the Big House, has a capacity of over 100,000, while Ford Field's standard capacity is 65,000. The official attendance for Saturday's game was 50,042, creating what Heavy. described as an electrifying atmosphere.

Bubble Watch and Other Standouts

Beyond Moore and Abney, the game provided updates on several players fighting for roster spots, as reported by Sports Illustrated.

Defensive lineman Skyler Gill-Howard continued to impress, recording a 76.7 PFF grade on 23 snaps. Lions head coach Dan Campbell praised Gill-Howard's effort and self-awareness.

"... He knows he's not a huge guy, but he knows who he is and he knows how he has to play," Campbell said, as quoted by Sports Illustrated. "And he plays with high effort and he's crafty, man. He's explosive and he's violent."

Moore and Wonnum are in contention for the starting EDGE job, with Wonnum likely currently in the lead, according to Sports Illustrated. The outlet noted that Moore has a legitimate shot to produce meaningful snaps in his first year.

Ben Stille, a recent free-agent signing, logged reps at both nose tackle and the "Big End" position, but is likely on the outside looking in for a roster spot, per Sports Illustrated. Myles Adams and Eric O'Neill did not see the field until the fourth quarter, and Tyre West did not play, according to the same report.

Sports Illustrated also highlighted that Nick Whiteside allowed 69 yards on three receptions, including 55 on the boundary against Nick Nash.

Several other players were identified as on the roster bubble, including Thomas Harper, Ahmed Hassanein, Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Mekhi Wingo, Tyler Lacy, Chris Smith, Aidan Keanaaina, Anthony Lucas, Joe Bachie, Erick Hunter, Troy Reeder, Aamaris Brown, De'Shawn Rucker, Loren Strickland, and Dan Jackson.

With one preseason game remaining, the Lions face the Colts next and open the regular season against the Saints in Week 1.