The Lions opened the 2026 NFL preseason with a 16-14 loss in Cincinnati on Thursday.
The Lions opened the 2026 NFL preseason with a 16-14 loss in Cincinnati on Thursday.
Cincinnati — While there were certainly parts of Isaac TeSlaa’s game that needed refining after his rookie season, there was at least one aspect you could always count on: give him a chance to catch the ball, and he’ll do it.
The surehanded Detroit Lions receiver was marvelous in a handful of critical situations last year, hauling in 16 passes for six touchdowns and 239 receiving yards.
But when given the chance to earn a larger role in Thursday night’s preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals, he suddenly looked like a completely different player. TeSlaa’s first target of Thursday night’s 16-14 preseason loss to the Cincinnati Bengals went right through his hands and struck his facemask, bouncing high into the air for Bengals defensive back Jordan Battle to swoop in for an interception.
Later, while trying to come up with a tough fourth-down catch while a defender was draped all over him, the ball from quarterback Luke Altmyer hit TeSlaa’s hands and fell to the turf. Perhaps it wouldn’t be that big of a deal in other circumstances, but TeSlaa’s slow start in training camp makes it fair to wonder if TeSlaa is suffering from a little bit of regression entering his second season.
Lions coach Dan Campbell threw his support behind TeSlaa after the game, saying he remembers those days early in his career when things weren’t going exactly how he’d expect.
“You want everything to come early, you can come into your second season and place a lot of pressure on yourself,” Campbell said. “You want to be great.”
As TeSlaa encounters some bumps in the road, Campbell said he believes the receiver can gain control of the wheel by himself.
“I think more than anything, just stay the course. And I feel like TeSlaa — I don’t feel like I need to (say anything to reassure him),” Campbell said. “Now, that doesn’t mean I won’t say something, but he’s a pretty headsy guy, he’s a pretty confident guy, and he’s pretty good about, ‘You know what? I just gotta go back to work.'”
Added Campbell, “All it takes is a couple of wins, a couple of wins at critical times against some guys in practice, and then all of a sudeen, it skyrockets. It goes back up. Sometimes, with a young player, it’s a little bit of that pendulum swing.
“He’ll be fine. He’ll be just fine.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
@nolanbianchi
Detroit Lions lost, 16-14, against Cincinnati Bengals in first preseason game.
Detroit Lions lost, 16-14, against Cincinnati Bengals in first preseason game.