Key Takeaways From Lions 25-16 Preseason Win Against Colts

The Detroit Lions wrapped up the preseason Saturday with a matchup against the Indianapolis Colts, and there was a level of uncertainty surrounding the game.

By Sunday at 6 p.m., the Lions along with the rest of the NFL must have their roster down to 53 players, which forces them to make cuts quickly following Saturday's game. Head coach Dan Campbell expressed his appreciation for all of the players on the roster who have competed for jobs throughout camp.

"The guys that we brought in to compete with the guys that are already here, we feel like they fit what we're about and our style. Now, it's about who's the best man for the job?" Campbell said in a pregame interview with Lions flagship radio. "Those guys have, they've laid it on the line. I'll always appreciate them, we will. I think it's important. It doesn't matter if you're Jared Goff or if you're the 89th man on this training camp roster, you're getting coached. We're gonna give you the best opportunity to win a job, make a job, make plays. That's important, and these guys have laid it on the line."

Detroit got a good performance from Joshua Dobbs as well as strong running from Jacob Saylors to fuel the offense. Additionally, Skyler Gill-Howard and Ennis Rakestraw had pivotal moments defensively to fuel the Lions to a 25-16 victory in Saturday's game. With the win, the Lions finish the preseason with a 2-1 record.

Here are the biggest takeaways from Saturday's preseason matchup between the Lions and Colts.

Sharp rebound after tough start

One of the biggest storylines surrounding Saturday's game was the fact that it was the last chance for Luke Altmyer and Joshua Dobbs to make their respective cases for the backup quarterback job. It was Altmyer who got the start against the Colts.

After Indianapolis drove for a field goal on their opening possession, Altmyer had a mishap on Detroit's first series. He rolled to his right off play action and fired a pass that was intercepted by Sauce Gardner.

On the play, there appeared to be a miscmmunication as wide receiver Lucky Jackson looked to be setting up a block instead of running a route to occupy the cornerback. This resulted in the interception, as Gardner lurked between Jackson and tight end Thomas Gordon.

However, Altmyer bounced back with a strong second series. Indianapolis turned a short field into a field goal, then the Lions would drive down to answer with a touchdown. Altmyer went 3-for-4 for 40 yards on the drive, including completions to Greg Dortch and Lucky Jackson for big gains.

Trayveon Williams was responsible for the score, punching it in from a yard out. Jake Bates missed the ensuing extra point, leaving the score knotted at 6-6 at the end of the first quarter.

Offense finds rhythm

After tying the game, the Lions' defense forced a stop and Joshua Dobbs entered the game for the team's third series. He had a muffed snap exchange with center Mason Miller, but Ben Bartch fell on it to keep the drive alive.

After the miscue, Dobbs was able to pilot the Lions' offense down the field. He kept the drive alive with a fourth-down conversion strike to Zach Horton, then hit Lucky Jackson to get the offense into the red-zone.

Dobbs would miss high on a throw in the direction of Jacob Saylors on first-and-goal, but would ultimately finish the drive on a high note with a touchdown pass to tight end Jackson Meeks.

Meeeeeeeeeeeks pic.twitter.com/Bz4DsSHPDX
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 29, 2026

Rakestraw's big moment

The Colts would rally to tie the score with a touchdown on the ensuing drive, and then another Detroit mishap popped up. Trayveon Williams fumbled on the kick return, setting the Colts up with good field position.

However, Ennis Rakestraw came up with a huge moment by securing a diving interception to end the Colts' drive with just over two minutes to go in the half. It was a big play by a player who is yearning to make an impact after missing all of last season with an injury.

On the interception, the Lions got good defensive pressure from defensive ends Ahmed Hassanein and Eric O'Neill.

Hassanein + O'Neill pressure = a Rakestraw Jr. INT! pic.twitter.com/qHpgR1fZ2g
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 29, 2026

Lucky day

After the takeaway, Dobbs and the offense engaged in a two-minute drill starting on their own 24-yard line. Thanks to Dobbs, Jacob Saylors and a pair of former UFL wide receivers, the Lions made good on the opportunity and entered halftime with the lead.

Dobbs went 5-for-5 for 53 yards on the drive, with the big play coming on a perfectly placed ball up the sideline to Lucky Jackson for 35 yards to the Indianapolis Colts. On the ensuing play, Dobbs found another former UFL wideout in Tay Martin for a 2-yard score. The Lions went for two, but were unsuccessful and entered halftime with a 19-13 lead.

Jackson had a big first half, pacing the Lions with five catches for 94 yards. Martin also showed up with four catches for 16 yards in the first half, including the go-ahead score before the break.

LUCKY. JACKSON. pic.twitter.com/h3ErfysAqs
— Detroit Lions (@Lions) August 29, 2026

Clear leader in backup QB race

Altmyer returned to the game to start the second half, and started off on the wrong foot. He had a muffed snap early in the drive, then held onto the ball too long and had a sack that turned into a fumble.

On his second series, the offense got an early first down thanks to the strong running from Jacob Saylors. However, he suffered a sack that derailed the drive and led to a punt.

After the punt, the Colts drove down the field and inched closer with a 60-yard field goal from Spencer Shrader. That made the score 19-16 late in the third quarter.

Altmyer's third series ended in another turnover, as running back Roydell Williams fumbled after a short gain.

The Illinois product finished his day 7-for-11 for 55 yards with one interception and a fumble lost. Though he has shown some intrigue, Altmyer finishes the preseason 29-of-46 for 271 yards with one touchdown, three interceptions and two fumbles lost.

Dobbs, meanwhile, re-entered in the fourth quarter and led the Lions on another touchdown drive. The veteran was much more consistent in his reps on Saturday. He finished the day a crisp 15-of-19 for 128 yards and a pair of passing touchdowns.

In his appearances this preseason, Dobbs has gone 26-for-39 for 234 yards, two touchdowns and an interception to go along with a 50-yard rushing score last week against the Commanders.

Saylors stands out

Jacob Saylors entered Saturday looking to move his way off the roster bubble, and he made a very strong statement with his performance against the Colts.

After spending most of last season as a return man on the Lions' active roster, Saylors is staking a claim to have a role within the offense as a secondary option at running back behind Jahmyr Gibbs.

In Saturday's game, Saylors finished with 17 rushes for 100 yards with a long of 22 yards. He also added two catches for 12 yards.

Concern about Bates?

When Dobbs returned to the game, he helped drive the offense down the field for a big add-on score. The Lions got a big run from Trayveon Williams, then Williams again provided a spark with a short touchdown run to add onto the lead.

However, there could be concern building within the Lions' special teams units. Jake Bates missed the extra point following Williams' touchdown, his second missed extra point of the game. This made the score 25-16 in the Lions' favor midway through the fourth.

Bates has had an up-and-down training camp. While he certainly has the leg strength to compete with any kicker in the league, his consistency has wavered throughout camp. The Lions haven't brought in any competition for him, but could look to add one to the practice squad after cuts to compete with the Arkansas product.

Closing it out

The Colts made one final effort at cutting into the deficit, but some strong efforts from the defensive interior helped the Lions prevail. Myles Adams, who recorded a sack earlier in the game, pressured Easton Stick into an incompletion, and a false start on Josh Kreutz set up a fourth-and-6.

On that play, Keith Abney forced an incompletion on a diving tip to force a turnover on downs. On the Lions' ensuing drive, they converted a key fourth-and-1 on a short burst from Roydell Williams.

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