Detroit Lions Proving Defensive Depth Far Outweighs Lack of Depth on Offense

The last preseason game is for the fringe players to put enough on tape for roster inclusion or to entice another team to pull the trigger. It's also an opportunity to understand where a team's depth holds strong and where it lags a bit.

For the Detroit Lions, it was obvious within the first two drives that their depth-chart strength rests on the defensive side—at least when compared to the rather meager offensive pickings.

Defensive Depth

The defense struggled to contain the Jacksonville Jaguars in the third preseason game. However, it was easily dismissed since there were more starters sitting than playing.

But when those reserves were given a chance to play against a similar talent level, they shined against the Buffalo Bills on all three levels.

The defensive line saw early contributions from both Kerry Hyder and Phillip Hunt, as each crashed into the backfield. Hyder notched an early penetration that stuffed running back Bryce Brown two yards behind the line of scrimmage, and Hunt later joined him in the action:

"

Cudjo with the sack. That's sacks for Hunt and Cudjo on this drive. Bubble guys making plays. #BUFvsDET

— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) September 4, 2015"

That style of play was echoed by the secondary reserves.

Isa Abdul-Quddus was all over the field to start. There was a nice tackle to stymie an early screen pass that was promptly followed by a tackle for a loss.

Nickelback hopeful Nevin Lawson must have been inspired by those plays, because he then piled on one of his own:

"

Nevin Lawson with some great coverage and a PBU on third down. MORE MOORE COMING UP!

— Pride Of Detroit (@PrideOfDetroit) September 4, 2015"

As if to hammer the point home, even linebacker Kyle Van Noy got in on the action. His preseason play hasn't given the team much reason to believe he'll contribute this year. He did, however, give the public a faint glimmer of hope for the future:

"

Kyle Van Noy with a really nice tackle in space while covering a tight end. Allowed just 3 yards on the catch.

— Josh Katzenstein (@jkatzenstein) September 4, 2015"

Again, he's not playing against Rob Gronkowski, but the defensive side of the ball was solidly encouraging.

Offensive Ineptitude

The offense wasn't nearly as sharp, and it all started with the offensive line.

The running game was horrendous. Zach Zenner and George Winn combined for just 48 yards on 24 carries. It wasn't their fault considering there were frequently more defenders in the backfield than were probably dressed on the sideline:

"

Zenner hit 4 yards deep in the backfield. Are the Lions OL even trying to block anyone?

— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) September 4, 2015"

The tight ends didn't do much to help the cause, either. Joseph Fauria and recent addition Tim Wright looked overmatched in the trenches. In fact, on consecutive plays, they each ushered through defenders who tagged Zenner before the line of scrimmage.

Kellen Moore looked to turn it all around, starting off 7-of-8 for 99 yards and a score despite the constant pressure. Yet his lack of arm strength could be noticed with wobbly, short passes. One slant pass to the lone offensive bright spot—wide receiver T.J. Jones—made up almost two-thirds of those early yards:

"

Turning a slant pass into a 64-yard TD? Excellent way to audition for the @Lions roster, @IamTJ_Jones. #BUFvsDET http://t.co/Er6taNaEMg

— NFL (@NFL) September 4, 2015"

Dan Orlovsky didn't look much better. His interception actually bounced off Jeremy Ross when the wideout hit the ground. But it was a high throw because the right side of the offensive line collapsed quicker than the Matt Millen era.

The entire play was a microcosm of the offense's night.

What It Means

In the end, this display won't mean much during the regular season. When the Lions inevitably lose players for stretches of time, the rest of the talent can help overcome some short-term losses.

Well, so long as they happen on the defensive side.

Stacy Revere/Getty Images

The offensive line won't be able to survive more than one injury at a time, and even that's a stretch. Taylor Boggs and Cornelius Lucas have not looked good in weeks, with the former looking overmatched against the Bills.

And no team might suffer as sharp of a drop-off in talent at quarterback as Detroit. Matthew Stafford isn't Aaron Rodgers, but here's betting the Green Bay Packers would rather roll with their third-stringer than either of Detroit's backups.

If you're a Lions fan, now is the time wipe out any negative karma. Since I don't want to be blamed should something unthinkable happen, I typed this entire article wrapped in garlic while knocking my head on the wooden coffee table and precariously clenching a horseshoe.

Hopefully for Detroit, that will be enough to keep certain offensive players healthy throughout the season.

Brandon Alisoglu is a Detroit Lions Featured Columnist who has written about the Lions on multiple sites. He also co-hosts a Lions-centric podcast, Lions Central Radio. Yell at him on Twitter about how wrong he is @BrandonAlisoglu.