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SPORTS Monday 28 august 2017

Lions hit with dose of reality in loss to Patriots

By NOAH TRISTER Quin made an analogy one thing I told the kids:
AP Sports Writer to his experience coach- ‘You guys raised your level
ALLEN PARK, Michigan (AP) ing youth baseball. His son of play because you un-
— There’s nothing like a made an All-Star team derstood the type of level
matchup with Tom Brady and went to a tournament, that you had to play at to
and the New England Pa- where the team won the win.”
triots to provide a little first game. Detroit won preseason
more clarity during the pre- “The second game we games against Indianapo-
season. played, we played against lis (with Andrew Luck out)
For the Detroit Lions, it was a good select team kind of and the New York Jets, but
a reality check. that had been playing to- the Patriots were on a dif-
After solid performances gether for a while, a good ferent level — and Brady
in their first two exhibition baseball team. We gave didn’t need much time to
games, the Lions went up up five runs in the first in- establish that. He went 12
against the defending Su- ning, and we lost the game of 15 for 174 yards with two
per Bowl champions Friday 6-3,” Quin said. “I said, ‘This touchdowns and an inter-
night and lost 30-28, but the was just a pool play game, ception. Although it’s only
final score wasn’t indica- but you guys see the level preseason, this pattern is a
tive of Detroit’s struggles. that you have to play on familiar one for the Lions, New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) scrambles
The Patriots led 24-0 after if you want to win some of who have made the play- during the first half of the team’s NFL preseason football game
one quarter, and it wasn’t these games.’” offs two of the past three against the Detroit Lions, Friday, Aug. 25, 2017, in Detroit.
until the second half that “The tournament was the seasons but have struggled Associated Press
the Lions really began to next day, and we won a to beat top competition.
rally against New England game and we lost a game, Detroit was 9-4 last year pressure the quarterback nounced that defensive
backups. and we got put out, but before losing its final three against the Colts and Jets tackle Jordan Hill was go-
“It was a preseason game, then the next week we regular-season games to despite their defensive line ing on injured reserve with
but we can clearly see the had the big All-Star tourna- the Giants, Cowboys and being below full strength. a bicep injury. The Lions lost
level that we have to play ment,” Quin added. “We Packers. Then the Lions lost They did not have a sack defensive lineman Kerry Hy-
at if we want to win against won the whole thing. We their playoff opener to Se- against New England on der to an Achilles tendon
good teams,” safety Glov- beat the same team that attle. Friday. injury in the game against
er Quin said. had just beat us. ... That’s The Lions were able to On Sunday, Detroit an- Indianapolis.q
Dalton, Bengals look regular-season ready vs Washington

By STEPHEN WHYNO Cousins’ pass and returned rushers he was looking for.
AP Sports Writer it for a touchdown, stiff- Cincinnati running back
LANDOVER, Maryland (AP) arming the quarterback at Giovani Bernard ran for 25
— Andy Dalton and the the end zone and jump- yards on four carries in his
Cincinnati Bengals’ start- ing into the stands, before first game since tearing the
ers looked regular-season leaving with a back injury. ACL in his left knee last sea-
ready, while Kirk Cousins A.J. Green had four catch- son. The Bengals had taken
and Washington still have es for 43 yards, Jeremy a cautious approach in
some work to do. Hill ran for 15 yards and bringing Bernard back.
Dalton was 8 of 13 for 70 a touchdown before his Washington got tight end
yards and Cincinnati’s first- day was cut short with an Jordan Reed back after
team offense and defense ankle injury and the Ben- he missed the first two pre-
looked sharp against Wash- gals’ starters were 4 of 6 on season games and almost
ington on Sunday as the third down. Chris Smith and the first month of train-
Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton, center, looks for a Redskins won each team’s rookies Jordan Willis and ing camp with an injury to
receiver in the first half of a preseason NFL football game against third preseason game 23- Carl Lawson each sacked the big toe on his left foot.
the Washington Redskins, Sunday, Aug. 27, 2017, in Landover, 17 on the strength of their Cousins as defensive co- Reed had two catches for
Md. backups. Linebacker Von- ordinator Paul Guenther 12 yards and didn’t look
Associated Press taze Burfict intercepted seems to have the edge hampered by the injury. q