Detroit Lions vs. Cincinnati Bengals: Reliving the Lions' Top Plays

The Detroit Lions looked fantastic in Week 1 of the preseason against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Maybe it was just the first taste of Lions football after the lockout. Or, maybe it was just the excitement of seeing Matt Stafford back on the field and walking off of it under his own power. It could have been the excitement of seeing the much-maligned secondary pick off the first pass that came their way.

Heck, it could have been all of the above.

Here are the top Lions plays from the preseason Week 1 matchup against the Bengals.

5) Andy Dalton Gets a Suh-Prising Welcome to the NFL

Veterans always like to reminisce about their "Welcome to the NFL" moment.

Usually it is a big play they had against a player they had once looked up to. Sometimes it is a training camp prank or some sort of initiation rite they had to go through. Other times it is a moment where that player realized he wasn't the "big man on campus" anymore. 

Something tells me Andy Dalton won't want to remember his moment, because Ndamukong Suh almost ripped his head off.

It was a great play by Suh to get to Dalton, and it could be ranked much higher, if it were legal.

Suh was flagged 15-yards for unsportsmanlike conduct on the play.

Something tells me he won't mind.

4) Zac Robinson and Nate Hughes Show the 4th String Can Get It Done, Too

This play isn't going to show up on a lot of "Best of 2011" highlight reels, but it displays something Detroit Lions fans aren't used to.

Talent at the end of preseason games.

Traditionally, Lions preseason games deteriorate into numerous penalties, failed blocks, inaccurate passing and general malaise by the fourth quarter.

Here, Zac Robinson makes a picture perfect throw to Nate Hughes for a late touchdown to quash any hopes of the Bengals making any sort of comeback.

3) Chris Houston Makes a Statement on the First Pass Throw His Way

Chris Houston has dealt with a lot of negativity.

A cast-off of the Atlanta Falcons, he immediately became a starter in Detroit and the unquestioned leader of the cornerback unit. Although, in Detroit, being the best cornerback is a lot like being the fastest kid at fat camp—not really that impressive.

When Houston re-signed with the Lions, he got his starting spot back, and he also seems to be playing with a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. Furthermore, the increased pressure of the front seven and the upgrades in talent in the defensive backfield seem to have led to a bit of swagger from the group as well.

So, it isn't surprising that Houston went for broke on the first play, intercepting a pass meant for star rookie, A.J. Green.

Said Houston after the game, “Yeah, we knew that they wanted to take shots to A.J. Green since he is a rookie and they wanted to get him involved in the game. We wanted to come out and make a statement."

2) Shaun Hill Is Getting to the End Zone, Whether You Like It or Not

A few things struck me on this play, all in relation to one of the biggest stories in the NFL today—Tim Tebow as a viable NFL starter for the Denver Broncos.

See, not many people remember this, but Hill was an option quarterback at the University of Maryland. Unlike Tebow, Hill wasn't handed an NFL roster spot through the draft but made the Minnesota Vikings roster as a third stringer, before honing his craft in the now-defunct NFL Europe.

Now 31, Hill isn't thought of as a duel-threat passer, but he showed on this play that he still has some wheels.

Tebow would learn a lot from this play.

First, notice where Shaun Hill's eyes are the entire time—downfield. Hill decides to run, but keeps the pass as a viable option.

Second, Hill doesn't run solely because the passing wasn't open, but because he saw a wide-open running lane. Hill doesn't run because he has to or wants to, he runs because it was the best chance for yardage in that situation.

Finally, Tebow should hang this picture on his wall and write one word across it, "commit." One of Tebow's best attributes in college was his ability to put his head down and get yardage others couldn't. Now, in the NFL, he moves around both in the pocket and outside of it, like a chicken with its head cut off.

When Hill crossed the line of scrimmage, he was either going to get into the end zone or get punished for trying.

Hill, a 31-year-old journeyman, shouldn't have as much ability in this area as a first-round pick following an epic college career, but he does.

Tebow should take note.

1) Calvin Johnson Shows Exactly How Much Talent He Has with a TD Catch

The morning of the game, ESPN Analyst (and future Hall of Fame WR) Cris Carter was asked about his top-5 receivers in the NFL today. He listed six, none of which were Calvin Johnson.

Now, it isn't exactly a slight to be considered the seventh or eighth best in the entire world at your chosen profession, but when he was pressed on the issue, Carter continued to take potshots at Johnson, saying: "You don't have to double-team him to take him out of the game," and implying that Johnson is more of the threat in video games than he is in real life. 

In the first series last night, Stafford connected with a back shoulder throw to Johnson, which featured Johnson beating one-on-one coverage from a very good cornerback in Leon Hall.

Stafford said of the play:

"

“It’s just a reaction. If he beats them down the field, I’m throwing it over the top and he’s going to get it. Its part of us being on the same page, which is good, and he and I have done a really good job of talking to each other and communicating and understanding where he thinks he can beat guys and where I can put the ball for him. It’s pretty easy for me.”

"

Michael Schottey is an on-call editor for the Bleacher Report College Writing Internship, as well as an NFL Featured Columnist and an NFL Labor/Draft Expert. A member of the Pro Football Writers of America, he has professionally covered the Minnesota Vikings and the Detroit Lions, as well as NFL events like the Scouting Combine and the Senior Bowl. Follow him on   Twitter.