After previously reported joint practices with the New York Giants during training camp, the Detroit Lions will also have joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars.
It’s typical for teams who play in the preseason to gather for joint practices in the days before a game. The Detroit Lions are reportedly slated to have joint practices with their Week 1 preseason opponent, the New York Giants. Two times in the same preseason feels new.
After last week’s schedule release Jacksonville Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson revealed his team would also be coming to Allen Park for joint practices with the Lions before the Week 2 preseason game between the teams.
“Detroit (Preseason) Week 2. We’ll go up there,” Pederson said.
Pride of Detroit confirmed the Lions-Jaguars joint practices are in the works. That second preseason game is only scheduled for the week of Aug. 17-21 at this point, so the dates of the practice sessions will fall somewhere in the days before the game is played on the assumption they are confirmed.
The same timing will occur for the practice sessions with the Giants, with the preseason opener between the two teams scheduled for Aug. 10-14 right now.
Detroit Lions set to add joint practices with the Jacksonville Jaguars to preseason schedule
The Lions and Jaguars were two of the hottest teams in the NFL down the stretch last season. In Week 14, the Lions dominated the Jaguars in a 40-14 blowout. The Jaguars went on to win five straight games from their to end the season, then they had comeback win over the Los Angeles Chargers in the a Wild Card Round.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell, via MLive, espoused the value of joint practices.
I just think you get two real good days (of practice),” Campbell said recently. “It’s a change in intensity going against another opponent. Sometimes even as intense as you try to make your own practice, just to be able to go against a different opponent just levels the stakes. Levels the intensity. You need that. Their bodies need that — the competition. Just to raise the stakes a little bit goes a long ways for your guys.”
If one set of joint practices is a welcome shift from the monotony of training camp, it’s so nice the Lions will do it twice this year.