The Detroit Lions' Other Stories From the Indianapolis Colts Game

In case you hadn't heard, Matthew Stafford plays for the Detroit Lions. And there's a quarterback battle going on involving him and Daunte Culpepper.

There, now that we have that out of the way, let's talk about the less visible stories of the game: everything else.

No, really. Believe it or not, there are other positions on the field aside from "quarterback" and "Calvin Johnson," and some of them are even important.

I know I'm taking a chance here, because according to the major sports outlets, Stafford, Culpepper and Johnson are the only players anybody cares about. But hopefully someone will find one of the other poor pieces of fungi on the team worth reading about, as they wither in the brilliance of the quarterback battle.

Or maybe not. But at least this way somebody will be talking about them.

In Case You Forgot, Kevin Smith is a Beast

The 2009 season is the first in a long time that Lions fans have entered without a deep, unyielding dread about the running game.

Kevin Smith was good last year, even on a team that consistently played from behind and with a sub-par line, so he could only improve, right?

If the Colts game is any indication, that is absolutely right. Smith is hitting holes harder, showing a greater burst off the line, running with improved vision, and getting in touch with his inner Marshall Faulk by becoming a legitimate receiving threat.

Smith was the game's leading rusher with 50 yards, and the third leading receiver with 33 yards despite only playing two series in the first quarter.

As an added bonus, recall that one of Smith's greatest physical attributes is his endurance and superior conditioning. He runs best late in the game, when the defense is worn down and he still has his legs under him, but against the Colts, he was playing a fresh, first-string NFL defense.

For one quarter.

Okay, the Offensive Line Really Does Look Better

This is a bittersweet admission for me, and Seattle Lion Fan gets as much credit as I can possibly give him in this space for pointing it out.

On one hand, I have been criticizing the Lions' offensive line and asking for more changes along said line since... I guess about 2006. Gosder Cherlius was only a start.

On the other hand, the offensive line looks much improved in its new, more aggressive scheme. Against the Colts, the line consistently pushed the defense back a yard or two at the point of attack, paving the way for over 150 rushing yards and only one sack (partially due to a very badly missed blocking assignment by Aaron Brown).

Cherlius looks much more comfortable at right tackle after starting 13 games there last year.

Dominic Raiola is still a solid center, who can be dominant against smaller defensive lines.

Jeff Backus is still Jeff Backus: average on his best game, and destined to struggle against top pass-rushers... but he shouldn't be the sole cause of any lost football games. In a perfect world, he's a guard opposite Steven Peterman in 2010, but he just might be serviceable in 2009.

Guard has been a revolving door with the Lions for years, but it looks like Daniel Loper and Steven Peterman have the inside track to start, and the team could do a lot worse.

Bottom line, the line still needs work, but until the Lions can fix it through the draft, it might not be as bad as we all feared.

Or it might be a preseason fluke. We'll see.

Defensive Draft Picks Have Been Quiet

After the Lions neglected defense in the first round, there then came a great deal of enthusiasm about Louis Delmas, DeAndre Levy and Sammie Lee Hill, the Lions' top three defensive draft picks.

Well, the preseason has done little to whet fans' appetites. Delmas missed some time with a minor injury, and has made little impact with his playing time, other than blowing up a couple of his own team members in practice .

Levy has made the most impact in the preseason games, but with the signing of Larry Foote and the resurgence of Jordon Dizon, his impact is also the least important in the immediate future.

Hill shows good strength and a great push when he bull-rushes, but otherwise, his technique is lacking. He won't be ready anytime soon.

Now, three preseason games does not, by any means, spell doom for these picks. They're rookies, and immediate Pro Bowl-caliber impact is an unrealistic expectation. Hopefully the preseason takes some of the pressure off the players, and they can develop normally.

Unknown Player of the Week: Marquand Manuel

Let's be clear here: Yes, I used Marquand Manuel's name in a sub-headline.

No, that does not mean I'm relegating him to "next big thing" or "dark horse to start" status.

That being said, I was largely impressed with him against the Colts. He was the only Lion to force a turnover with an interception off Curtis Painter (yes, Peyton Manning would have been more impressive, but take what you can get).

Furthermore, Manuel made a touchdown(and game, as it turned out)-saving open field tackle on Pierre Garcon at the 11-yard line, which ultimately forced the Colts to kick a field goal after a solid red-zone stop to make it a 17-10 game.

That play means nothing in the preseason. It left the door open for the Lions to pull off an 18-17 win, which will be irrelevant in two weeks.

But what if that was a real game? Manuel was the only man between Garcon and six points. He cut off Garcon's momentum, stayed in front of him, and brought him down when he tried to cut inside.

A beautiful, underrated play, especially considering the difficulties Detroit had with tackling against Cleveland.

In the regular season, Manuel is a hero. In the preseason, he still deserves some credit.