Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell has come to the defense of his struggling wide receiver, Isaac TeSlaa, after a shaky performance in Thursday night's preseason game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Campbell threw his support behind TeSlaa, saying he remembers those days early in his career when things weren't going exactly as expected. TeSlaa's slow start in training camp has raised questions about whether he is suffering from regression entering his second season.
The surehanded receiver was marvelous in a handful of critical situations last year, hauling in 16 passes for six touchdowns and 239 receiving yards. However, in Thursday night's 16-14 preseason loss to the Bengals, TeSlaa's first target 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.
Campbell believes that TeSlaa can gain control of the wheel by himself. "I think more than anything, just stay the course," Campbell said. "And I feel like TeSlaa — I don't feel like I need to (say anything to reassure him). 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.'"
The Lions coach also acknowledged that young players often experience a pendulum swing in their performance. "Sometimes, with a young player, it's a little bit of that pendulum swing," Campbell said. "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 sudden, it skyrockets. It goes back up."
TeSlaa will have to bounce back from his slow start in training camp and prove himself in the upcoming games. With the regular season just around the corner, the Lions will be looking for a consistent performance from their wide receivers.
Source: Yahoo Sports