Nick Cotsonika wrote a solid piece the other day about what the exhibition season means. He makes some great points about how confirmation bias tends to dictate what Detroit Lions fans (and writers) see during the preseason, as well as how we interpret it.
But he tries to answer some valid questions about the Lions with the proper perspective. Here's his take on what we do and don't know.
Detroit Free Press, August 20: Can you tell Calvin Johnson's back has healed and he's going to be very difficult to stop this season? Absolutely.
Can you tell how well the Lions will run the ball this season? Not really. They haven't run it well yet, and that's a concern, considering how much they have worked on it and how important it is. But it's a new system. The starters haven't played much, haven't gotten into a rhythm and haven't had a chance to wear down their opponents. The evidence is inconclusive.
Can you tell the defense has improved? Yes. But you can't tell how much yet. The secondary seems much better. The defensive line showed promise at Cincinnati, but it needs to show more.
Can you tell Drew Stanton is the future? No. But you can certainly tell that he has improved and has potential.
Can you tell the Lions have improved overall? I think so. Just in the way they go about their business, they look like a real football team. They play hard. They play physical. They look organized. Whether that translates into more victories, though, remains to be seen.