Allen Park — Here are some notes and observations from the Detroit Lions first training camp practice Saturday.
► For the first time in two years, the Lions welcomed fans into a camp practice. Even though the day was reserved for season ticket holders, there was a strong showing of support.
Coach Dan Campbell briefly addressed the crowd before practice, giving an impassioned speech hitting on wanting to build a roster that embodies the city of Detroit and embracing the role of underdog.
“Everybody wants to count us out,” Campbell said. “That’s fine. We’re a bunch a losers. We’re all these things. That’s OK. We’ll just keep coming out here doing our work. We’ll do our work, get a little bit better every day, and when they show up, we’ll see what happens. You know what I mean?”
► The Lions opened the morning session only missing tight end Hunter Thedford, but saw a few others not able to finish the day, including cornerback Quinton Dunbar and linebackers Jahlani Tavai and Derrick Barnes.
Cornerback Alex Brown was briefly examined after a big collision near the goal line, but he was cleared to return to action.
► If you are buying the place kicker job is an open competition, the heavy favorite, Randy Bullock, put some distance between himself and Matthew Wright. Bullock nailed all five of his field goal attempts, while Wright hooked three of his six kicks wide left.
►Quarterback Tim Boyle continued to find some success with the deep ball, connecting with Kalif Raymond on a bomb with Brown in coverage.
► The big focus of the day was red zone work, with both the offense and defense having some moments, but the latter getting the overall upper hand.
► The sides started the red zone period in seven-on-seven, with the first-team defense holding the offense without a score on three consecutive snaps. After the second units battled it out, the top groupings came back out and tight end T.J. Hockenson made the play of the day.
Running a fade to the back corner of the end zone, linebacker Shaun Dion Hamilton had tight coverage and made a leaping deflection. Somehow, Hockenson stuck with it, making the catch while getting both feet down.
It’s possible the sting of that play lingered with Hamilton into the next snap because he got beat pretty badly by rookie running back Jermar Jefferson on an escape route for a score.
► With the offensive and defensive lines added to the mix, the first-team offense found the end zone twice more. On the first, receiver Tyrell Williams lost cornerback Jeff Okudah in traffic while running a crossing pattern. Hockenson followed that up by utilizing a pick from fellow tight end Darren Fells to get into the end zone for a second time.
► Hockenson’s second touchdown saw defensive backs coach Aubrey Pleasant coming over to the large video board and requesting a replay, where he and linebacker Jamie Collins hashed out the coverage breakdown.
► Whatever adjustments Pleasant, Collins and the top defensive unit made, they worked. They kept the offense out of the end zone three consecutive plays, limiting the offense to a pair of checkdown throws to the running backs before quarterback Jared Goff sailed one over the head of Fells on third down.
► Defensive tackle John Penisini batted down a third-down pass for the second-team defense. It was a nice play, but all the more significant after Campbell talked about a pair of shoulder growths the defender had removed during the offseason which had prohibited him from raising his arms above his head.
► Rookie receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown made an outstanding grab on a low ball while being draped by Okudah. Unfortunately, the receiver came up just short of the goal line on the third-down play.
► Rookie cornerback A.J. Parker broke up two passes in the end zone during a four-snap stretch, reaching around slot receiver Tom Kennedy on a slant for the first and leaping to knock one away from Geronimo Allison in the back corner of the end zone for the second.
► Not to be outdone, fellow rookie Jerry Jacobs came down with the camp’s first interception. The defender made an excellent read on a throw intended for tight end Charlie Taumoepeeau for the pick.