ALLEN PARK — The Detroit Lions play their third preseason matchup on Saturday, hosting the Miami Dolphins after a pair of joint practices this week.
While the Lions have yet to play the bulk of their starters in previous preseason games, the Dolphins sent their first-team players out against the Chicago Bears last weekend.
Miami coach Mike McDaniel hasn’t finalized his plans for Saturday’s game, but he’s leaning toward keeping his top players out of the game.
“As of right now, I’m not planning on playing the ones in the game,” McDaniel said Thursday ahead of the second joint practice. “This practice does participate in the overall final assessment that I’ll make with the coaching staff tomorrow. But as of right now, I went into this practice planning for the ones not play.”
Starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and the first unit of players only went in on the opening drive of Sunday’s preseason game with the Bears before making way for second and third-team players.
Now, it’s leaning toward the Dolphins running out at Ford Field with either quarterback Zach Wilson or rookie Quinn Ewers to begin things.
Going through joint practices, first-team players are already getting plenty of reps against the other team’s starters.
Even though it’s practice and scenarios are controlled by the coaching staffs, the Lions looked like the stronger team in every phase for Wednesday’s session in Allen Park.
McDaniel said he “didn’t like a majority of the results on plays” during the first practice and that his players will make corrections on errors that they made the first time out against the Lions.
“My focus today is against a very challenging opponent that attacks the day and competes, to apply through individual all the way throughout, across the board at every position,” McDaniel said. “I want to see fast, physical, with elite technique at every position group in individual, then have that go to one-on-ones and have that go to team.
“Every time we compete in a preseason game or a joint practice, you learn more about your team.”
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