NFL Preseason: 3 winners and losers from the Buffalo Bills comeback win over the Detroit Lions
The Bills-Lions game was the first "thriller" in the NFL this season. While the players constantly shifted, the scoreboard and big plays by both teams continued until the final whistle. For those who missed the game, here is a look at three winners and losers who either benefitted or harmed themselves in the game.
Winners and losers from Lions and Bills
Winners
Craig Reynolds, RB, Lions
Keep an eye on Craig Reynolds. He is not even listed on the Lions' depth chart but he came into the game swinging. He had six carries for 49 yards and a touchdown. He showed power, patience, and explosiveness in his brief looks. If he continues to play at this level, the Lions will have no choice but to find a place for him.
Dedrick Mills, RB, Lions
Dedrick Mills also showed up to play. While he did not have as great of a day as Reynolds, Mills had an amazing fourth-down conversion. It was 4th-and-one and Mills was hit in the backfield but somehow broke into the second level before ultimately being tackled. The Lions needed one yard and instead got about ten.
Davis Webb, QB, Bills
Davis Webb is listed as the third-string quarterback but could be playing well enough for a team to take a look at bringing him on as a second-string quarterback elsewhere.
He went 11-for-16 on passes for 90 yards and a touchdown with no interceptions. If he can play that well in every game, he can win plenty of games in the NFL. Of course, the preseason is not the regular season, but good ball is good ball.
Losers
Lions' offense with Goff
While Jared Goff completed seven of nine pass attempts in his brief action, the Lions only earned three points in 18 plays, according to the broadcasters. If the Lions want to contend with Green Bay or even anyone in the NFC, they will need to start faster in future games.
Fans at home
While the football game was a thriller, it ended with a bit of a thud. The Bills scored a go-ahead field goal with only about 15 seconds left. The Lions still had all three timeouts and, based on how the game was going, seemed to have a real chance to make something crazy happen.
But almost immediately after the field goal, the NFL Network shifted games to the Cardinals preseason game that was kicking off. Hopefully, the NFL does not do this in the regular season or fans will be routinely upset.
Jake Fromm, QB, Bills
Jake Fromm, currently listed as the fourth-string quarterback on the Bills' depth chart, had a rough game. Although he made a critical fourth-down throw to extend the game and ultimately set up the game-winning field goal attempt, he was inaccurate and questionable in his decision making at every other point in the game.
He attempted many other deep throws and overthrew them all. It seemed to be a case of taking a high quantity of shots to make a highlight reel. Put simply, Fromm looked as rough in his second year as most late-drafted quarterbacks in their first year.