Moore, Gill-Howard fortify Lions' run defense in preseason win

Detroit's 2025 season ended at 9-8

Wire Report IntelligenceUpdated Aug 251 min read

What happened: Derrick Moore set the edge and stayed disciplined against misdirection, while Skyler Gill-Howard created interior pressure. Detroit beat Washington 17-13 to improve to 1-1 in the preseason.

Why it matters: Dan Campbell made stopping the run one of his three benchmarks for Detroit's preseason. The rookies' early-down work strengthens a defensive-line rotation that also added DJ Wonnum.

By the numbers: Washington gained 35 yards on 17 carries, an average of 2.1 yards per attempt. Moore recorded a sack and quarterback hit; Gill-Howard added a tackle for loss and quarterback hit.

What to watch: Detroit's remaining preseason work will test whether both rookies can earn larger roles in the 2026 defensive rotation.

Sources

Yahoo NFL 2026-08-25T12:15:48.309936+00:00

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