After another strong showing last night, below are the Episode 2 superlatives for Hard Knocks: Training Camp with the Detroit Lions.
Best moment: Duce Staley wants D’Andre Swift to run inside
Assistant head coach Duce Staley talked up D’Andre Swift both to his fellow coaches and Swift himself earlier in the episode, but he also had some criticism for the young back by saying he needs to have more “dog” by playing with physicality when possible. So, it was disappointing for Staley to watch Swift not hit the hole between the tackles in preseason action—giving us a rare look at in-game coaching on the sideline with Swift being called off the field. The former Georgia standout was put back in after one play and eventually scored a touchdown on the drive, but Staley’s coaching continued afterwards by showing Swift how he missed the previous hole, which led to Staley giving hilarious expressions while presenting evidence on the tablet to Swift and the other running backs.
Worst moment: David Blough fumbles
It was obvious there would be some heartbreak with the Lions losing a close preseason game to the Falcons, and HBO made it pretty much as painful as possible to watch as Blough fumbled and dealt with the consequences. While there was a chance for him to stage a game-winning drive afterwards, Blough’s final pass was off the mark, and he was completely distraught through the end of the episode. Fortunately, he had the support of Jared Goff, other teammates, and his wife Melissa—who is an Olympic hurdler and discussed how they can understand each other based on them both being high-level athletes that have experienced failure.
Funniest moment: Jamaal Williams makes a James Bond joke
Last night’s episode had quite a few funny moments, but the final shot was the best with Williams asking teammate Halapoulivaati Vaitai: “What do you call James Bond taking a bath?” After a pause, Williams said, “Bubble-07,” which was followed up by Vaitai not cracking a smile looking at the camera, and then Williams perfectly timing a half-smile at the camera. The Office cast would be proud.
Underrated moment: Aidan Hutchinson’s sisters are shocked to hear Marcus Mariota’s name
Even though it was a preseason game, the tension was palpable for the Hutchinson family as they watched Aidan make his NFL debut. But another funny moment in the sequence was when his sisters simultaneously reacted with a “Marcus Mariota?!” after the quarterback’s name was announced with the Atlanta offense taking the field—and it’s kind of a mystery whether they were surprised to hear his name (potentially knowing Mariota from the Oregon days), were expecting Aidan to be announced for his debut rather than the opposing team’s quarterback, or if there was some other reason for their reaction.
Best quote: Duce Staley about D’Andre Swift not winning a drill
“You’re supposed to kill him!”
MVP: Malcolm Rodriguez
Duce Staley deserves an honorable mention, but Rodriguez gets a rookie tiebreaker for—as explained by linebacker coach Kelvin Sheppard—doing things on the field that a rookie shouldn’t be doing (and that none of the veterans have done “in five years”). “Rodrigo” is looking like a draft steal as a sixth-round selection, and it’s obvious that he has the right mindset to not only make the team, but also earn a significant role.