INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Josh Dobbs and Luke Altmyer went into the Detroit Lions’ preseason finale on what appeared to be a level playing field in the battle to back up Jared Goff.
Now coach Dan Campbell has a decision to make.
Dobbs, the veteran who signed with the Lions after Teddy Bridgewater retired earlier this month, made his strongest case yet Saturday by throwing two touchdown passes and taking Detroit on a late TD drive in a 25-16 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
“I thought Dobbs really played well today,” Campbell said, refusing to tip his hand on who he would select as the No. 2 quarterback. “I thought he really showed out and I just love his composure and conviction. He knows what he wants and we scored.”
Incumbent starter Jared Goff did not throw a pass in Detroit’s three preseason games, allowing Dobbs and Altmyer to take center stage and essentially play to a draw through the first two preseason games.
But Dobbs closed the preseason with his most impressive performance.
He played the second and fourth quarters and finished 15 of 19 for 128 yards with no turnovers or sacks while executing the 2-minute drill perfectly at the end of the first half. He connected with Lucky Jackson on a 35-yard completion with 12 seconds left and found Tay Martin for a 2-yard score on the next play to give Detroit a 19-13 lead.
Altmyer played the first and third quarters, going 7 of 11 for 55 yards while taking the Lions on a 75-yard TD drive. He also threw an interception, lost a fumble and was sacked twice.
“The first one was not his fault,” Campbell said, referring to the ball cornerback Sauce Gardner snared. “We had a bust outside and if we did that right, that guy wouldn’t have even been there. I don’t blame that on Luke. There was just a couple of times where he held it too long and we’ve talked about that. I’m not discouraged by it.”
Anthony Richardson started along with the Colts’ starting offensive line and showed glimpses of what the Colts thought they were getting when they drafted with the No. 4 overall pick in 2023. He was largely on time and on point, going 7 of 10 for 80 yards with one sack while leading the Colts to two field goals for a 6-0 lead.
Riley Leonard, in his second season, struggled in the second quarter despite taking the Colts on their first TD drive since Week 1 of the preseason. He was 3 of 7 for 48 yards but cost Indy a scoring chance when he was intercepted at deep in Detroit territory.
“I thought Anthony had some good drives, for sure,” Steichen said. “I think made some good throws, did some good things. I think Riley did some good things as well, just, obviously, don’t want to turn it over there in the red zone. But I thought both of them did some good things.”
Detroit tied it with Traveyon Williams’ 1-yard TD run late in the first quarter. The Lions took a 13-6 lead on Dobbs’ 6-yard TD pass to Jackson Meeks midway through the second quarter.
DJ Giddens tied it again at 13 on a 6-yard TD run before Dobbs hooked up with Martin for the go-ahead score with 8 seconds left in the half.
Jacob Saylors carried 17 times for 100 yards for Detroit. Williams rushed nine times for 57 yards and added a 1-yard TD run in the fourth quarter. But Williams lost a fumble, one of four Detroit turnovers.
Jackson finished with five receptions and 94 yards.
Easton Stick got his first action of the preseason for Indy in the second half, going 8 of 15 for 78 yards and took one sack.
Colts are kickin’ it with Shrader and Grupe
The Colts’ already close kicking competition between Spencer Shrader and Blake Grupe may have gotten even tighter as cutdown day arrives Sunday.
Grupe was a perfect 3 for 3, making field goals of 46 and 36 yards and an extra point in the first half.
Shrader made his only kick, a 60-yard field goal in the third quarter for Indy’s final score.
“I think there’s a lot of appreciation coming off of a (torn) ACL to be where he is to kick a 60-yarder was huge,” Steichen said, talking about Shrader. “I’m really pleased with where he’s at.”
Detroit’s Jake Bates missed two extra points and had an errant kickoff that allowed the Colts to start their TD drive at the 40-yard line. Campbell said he was not worried about the miscues.
Up next
Lions: Host the New Orleans Saints in their Sept. 13 season opener.
Colts: Will seek their second straight season-opening win Sept. 13 when they host Baltimore.
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The next time Keenan Allen catches a pass, DeForest Buckner makes a tackle and Sauce Gardner gets an interception, it’ll really count.
But that’s not to say the plays each Colts player made in Saturday’s preseason finale against the Detroit Lions didn’t matter. With head coach Shane Steichen opting to play most of his healthy starters for one series, those moments for Allen, Buckner and Gardner all were important markers with two weeks until the Colts’ 2026 regular season kicks off at Lucas Oil Stadium against the Baltimore Ravens.
The 34-year-old Allen, who signed with the Colts a week and a half ago, lobbied Steichen to get into Saturday’s game. On the second play of the game, Allen motioned to the field and worked back into space away from Lions cornerback Roger McCreary toward the boundary, where quarterback Anthony Richardson Sr. ripped a strike to connect for a 24-yard gain.
Allen played two more snaps after that and exited the game once the Colts’ first drive ended with a Blake Grupe 36-yard field goal.
“It was good,” Allen said. “Get out there, get your feet wet, play against some competition other than your defense and just get back in the groove of things.”
Because Allen didn’t participate in all but one training camp practice, he wanted to play to get re-acclimated to game action – which still was important, even for a guy with 1,055 receptions over 171 regular season games in his career.
“You just want that game feel, the speed of the game and to feel the intensity of it and make sure your body’s ready,” Allen said.
For Buckner, the four snaps he played were meaningful for the 10-year veteran, who’s progressively increased his workload during training camp following neck surgery he underwent last New Year’s Eve. Buckner generated a pressure – and hustled downfield after – on his second play of the game; on his third play, he raced from the near hash to the sideline to tackle tight end Jackson Meeks.
“Felt good being able to be back out there with the fellas and everything and being back in live action,” Buckner said. “It was a great feeling.”
Gardner, too, only played four snaps, but that’s because he ended the Lions’ first drive with an interception. He jumped in front of a pass form quarterback Luke Altmyer with 10 minutes left in the first quarter and recorded his first interception since the 2024 season – a drought he chalked up to being asked to play almost exclusively man coverage, but a drought nonetheless.
“It’s definitely great to make that play right before the season,” Gardner said. “I think it was great to end the drought real quick going into the year. Preseason or not, that’s still a great play because they don’t come that often.”
And the Colts certainly expect plays from this critical trio of players to show up come Sept. 13 against the Baltimore Ravens.
COACH SHANE STEICHEN: https://www.colts.com/video/indianapolis-colts-2026-media-availability-press-conference-head-coach-shane-steichen
QB’S ANTHONY RICHARDSON AND RILEY LEONARD: https://www.colts.com/video/anthony-richardson-and-riley-leonard-colts-vs-lions-postgame
LOCKER TALK: https://www.colts.com/video/locker-talk-keenan-allen-and-sauce-gardner-indianapolis-colts-vs-detroit-lions-postgame
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