It’s tough to find many silver linings in a 27-13 divisional loss, but a few Detroit Lions players still managed to stand out on Sunday afternoon. One of them—a rookie wide receiver making his NFL debut on the stat sheet—earned the first Pride of Detroit game ball of the regular season.
Game ball: Isaac TeSlaa
Third-round pick Isaac TeSlaa is deserving of this week’s game ball. Not only was his fourth-quarter reception his first career catch, but it also got Detroit their first and only touchdown of the game. It’s commonplace for an NFL player to keep the ball from their first score in the league, so it’s only fitting that TeSlaa gets the nod here from Pride of Detroit as well.
Up until that point, TeSlaa had been quiet offensively, seeing limited action in red-zone packages. Given the Lions’ offensive line struggles (four sacks allowed, constant pressure on Goff), it’s hard to fault any receiver for lack of production. What mattered most was that when Detroit’s offense needed a pick-me-up, the rookie delivered.
The rookie’s touchdown was a contested one. On a fourth-and-3 pass from Goff, TeSlaa ran a fade route and made a leaping (and backwards-falling) catch over the head of Packers defensive back Carrington Valentine. The play was initially ruled as a catch out of bounds, but further review awarded TeSlaa with his first touchdown.
There were high expectations for the rookie going into this game due to his dominance during the preseason. Over four games, TeSlaa recorded eight receptions for 146 yards and three touchdowns. He was also heavily used on special teams during that span.
Hopefully, this showing of his catching ability will allow TeSlaa to get more looks on offense moving forward. He does seem to be firmly cemented as the team’s fourth wide receiver behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, and Kalif Raymond for now.
Honorable mention: Jake Bates
If not for TeSlaa’s highlight grab, kicker Jake Bates would have taken home the honors of this week’s game ball. Bates was flawless on the day, converting both of his field goal attempts (from 27 and 30 yards) and tacking on an extra point. In total, he accounted for seven of Detroit’s 13 points.
His reliability kept the Lions from being left off the scoreboard in the first half, as both field goals came after stalled red-zone drives. In a game where Detroit’s offense never found its rhythm, Bates’ consistency was one of the few bright spots.
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