The Detroit Lions are heading into their final preseason game with one massive question mark still hanging over the roster: who is the backup quarterback? Seriously, nobody saw this coming, especially after Teddy Bridgewater’s abrupt retirement midway through camp blew up their plans. What was supposed to be a smooth ride for the position suddenly became a scramble, forcing the Lions to pivot hard and fast.
Rookie Ascent Puts The Pressure On
When Bridgewater abruptly retired, the Lions had to make a move. They brought in nine-year veteran Josh Dobbs, a seasoned player who looked like the obvious choice to back up Jared Goff. But here’s the kicker: undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer, who’s been with the team all offseason, has consistently gotten the bulk of the backup reps in camp. It looked like a long shot to trust a 23-year-old rookie with such a critical role, but now it feels way closer to reality than anyone expected. Head coach Dan Campbell laid out exactly what he needs to see from Altmyer to have confidence in him. He wants “Consistency. Just play good smart football,” adding, “We don’t need some wild throws, whatever. Be able to run the offense, be efficient, make smart decisions, even if that means that you’re punting the ball. That’ll be the most important thing. We don’t want the wild plays and then there’s an ill-advised throw across the middle for an intercept,those won’t get it done. So just be smart, take what’s there, run the offense and that’ll go a long way.” You gotta wonder if that “ill-advised throw” line was a direct shot, especially since Dobbs did exactly that in the team’s second preseason game last week. Oof.
Experience Versus Raw Talent
Historically, the Lions have usually gone with a veteran presence behind Goff. Think about guys like David Blough or Kyle Allen. Campbell himself admitted they prefer that seasoned player, saying, “I mean, you would like that because those guys have played, there are real reps. They’ve been under real fire in real football games and that is important.” But here’s the twist, and it’s a huge one: Campbell also stated that experience isn’t the “end all be all.” He added, “If you think there’s somebody to work with here and that he’s shown enough progress and he’s only going to get better, then we don’t close our eyes to that either.” That’s a massive shift in philosophy if they go with Altmyer. It shows a willingness to trust in potential over a proven track record, especially when Altmyer has clearly shown enough in camp to make this a real competition.
This final preseason game is gonna be absolutely huge for both Altmyer and Dobbs. Altmyer needs to show that consistency Coach Campbell is looking for, proving he can run the offense efficiently and make smart decisions. Dobbs, on the other hand, needs to bounce back big time from that interception and remind everyone why a nine-year veteran presence is so valuable. The backup QB spot is still wide open, and the decision after this game will set the tone for the Lions’ season.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
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