Detroit Lions vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers preseason Week 3: Player of the Game Despite another poor start in the preseason Womens Customized Detroit Lions Jerseys , the Detroit Lions had a few good individual performances against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. After all, the Lions did mount at 21-point comeback victory. While many of the players that led that comeback are either backups or players that won’t be on the team in a couple weeks, they still deserve some love.But before we get into this week’s candidate for Game Ball, here are the standings after last week’s game (3 points for first place in voting, 2 for second place, 1 for third place.) Note: There was no Game Ball handed out in Week 1 of the preseasonPreseason Game Ball standings:Darius Slay - 3Theo Riddick - 2LeGarrette Blount - 1LeGarrette BlountBlount makes his second consecutive appearance on this list after displaying exactly why the Lions picked him up in free agency. Blount led all running backs with 11 carries for 45 yards on Friday night, but it was his situational running that really pushed him over the top. Blount’s best carry of the game came on fourth-and-1. He was hit in the backfield and looked like he was headed for a loss on the play, but his brute strength allowed him to push forward for a clutch conversion.Ricky Jean FrancoisIf there has been one defensive lineman who has been continually disruptive throughout both training camp and the preseason, it has been free agent pickup Ricky Jean Francois.Francois continues to show his comfort level in Matt Patricia’s defense www.lionscheapstore.com , and on Friday it led to six tackles and a pressure or two on the quarterback. Brandon PowellLast week, Powell came fourth in voting. This week, I get the feeling he’ll be a tad higher:Powell’s punt return touchdown was instrumental in the Lions’ comeback victory, but his night was not just limited to special teams contributions. Powell led the team in both receptions (six) and yards (45), catching every single target that came his way. It’s still hard to sell me on a fifth wide receiver on the 53-man roster, but if the Lions choose to go that route, Powell has to be a leading candidate right now.Hakeem VallesWhile the other tight ends continue to struggle to make an impact, Hakeem Valles is just rolling along looking like a player that could not only make the roster, but could contribute right away.Getting a fair amount of time with the starters Detroit Lions T-Shirt , Vallen caught three passes for 38 yards, including a huge third-down conversion when the Lions were backed up in their own side of the field. Those are the kind of plays that will endear you to a quarterback.Matt CasselFor as much as fans have panicked about the Lions’ backup quarterback situation, both put out strong efforts on Friday night. Though both quarterbacks still have yet to show the talent to go deep down field, Cassel had nice command of the offense against the Bucs.The Lions hadn’t scored a touchdown by the time Matthew Stafford left the game, but Cassel took over for two drives, and ended both with a touchdown. Granted, he was aided by some very solid rushing plays, but he even looked okay when he had to throw it.Unsung ...“hero” of the week? Detroit Lions vs. New York Jets There are 17 weeks in an NFL season, and right now nobody’s sure if that’s a good or bad thing for Detroit Lions fans. Regardless of outcome Detroit Lions Hats , it’s time to hand out this week’s award for unsung hero of the week. The series highlights one player whose performance, be it throughout the whole game or in a single moment, played an important role in the Lions’ success but may not have been the most memorable. Unsung hero of the week: Sam MartinHear me out here—I know the image of Martin’s failed tackle on Andre Roberts is burned into your memory, but just wait. When it came to punting Martin had a solid day, and frankly just not screwing up is enough to earn him this week’s honors. Martin averaged 50.7 yards on three punts with a long of 55 yards to go with manageable hang times in the 4.4-4.7 second range. He did his job when it came to punting, but like many facets of this team the preseason struggles made a reappearance, this time in punt coverage.Tavon Wilson saved one punt return from a touchdown by taking down former Lion Andre Roberts in field goal range. The next punt coverage play wouldn’t be so lucky, as Roberts tiptoed the sideline for a 78-yard return touchdown. As for tackling, it’s obviously not Martin’s forte. On the punt that was returned for a touchdown Martin made a valiant effort to lead Roberts out of bounds. While the results weren’t there Detroit Lions Hoodie , it’s worth noting that Martin’s attempt was much closer to success than the typical tackling attempts of NFL specialists. Martin’s true heroism came on the punt before, where he managed to impede Roberts just long enough for Tavon Wilson to come in and make the tackle. While the outcome of the next punt and just about the rest of the game was horrendous, Martin’s spirited efforts delayed the inevitable for just a little longer. There’s not much to celebrate, and Martin’s solid punting and suboptimal tackling are the closest thing to an unsung hero that the Lions had this week. Whose decent performance do you think went unnoticed? Let us know in the comments.
