If you needed a roster reference chart to keep track of all the Detroit Lions on the field in the preseason opener versus the New England Patriots, you were not alone. A full 14 projected starters did not play at all, including the entire defensive line.
Yet there was Darius Slay, Pro Bowl cornerback, on the field to start the game. On a night where most starters stood and watched the Lions reserves get manhandled by the defending Super Bowl champs, Slay played only six snaps, but it seemed strange to see the defense’s most accomplished player on the field in what was obviously a meaningless game from a score standpoint.
Coach Matt Patricia was asked about Slay’s appearance after the game. Could it be he was punishing Slay for something?
“There was no message. None of that,” Patricia said emphatically after the game.
Slay needed the reps, according to Patricia. The veteran only returned to practice this week after missing all of the offseason activities with a holdout and a lingering injury issue.
It will be interesting to see how much — if at all — Slay plays in the second preseason game in Houston.
