Ameer Abdullah thinks his rookie debut was "OK"

Watching Ameer Abdullah run over his defense in their first preseason game, Jets head coach Todd Bowles compared the rookie Lions running back to Barry Sanders.

The rookie from Nebraska carried six times for 67 yards, including a 45 yard scamper that spun New York linebacker Demario Davis nearly out of his shoes.

While most were rightfully impressed with that debut, Abdullah took a different stance.

"I think my first preseason game went OK, borderline good, but by no means great," he wrote in a blog on the Lions' website. "I missed a lot of holes. I was a little rusty, but that's what I expected getting back into game shape, seeing things at game speed again. There was definitely a lot to learn from. I have a good idea of how the competition will be across the league, what to expect on Sundays and Mondays."

An excellent diplomat for a rookie, he deflected the positive attention to his offensive line and away from himself, something surely his coaches will appreciate. 

The Lions have made it abundantly clear that they will not be making it easy for Abdullah, placing him No. 2 on the depth chart behind Theo Riddick, and Joique Bell is still working himself towards seeing his first work this preseason. But if what Abdullah calls "borderline good" work continues in the right direction, it may be enough to unset Riddick from the pole position in Detroit's 28th-best rushing offense.