Westfield, Ind. — Even before the Detroit Lions took the field for a second day of joint practices against the Indianapolis Colts — in what would turn out to be a decidedly better showing for the Lions — coach Dan Campbell had drawn plenty of encouragement from the first session.
More than any of the team's preseason games, these practices, against a playoff-caliber opponent with Super Bowl aspirations, serve as a barometer for how far Detroit's roster has come and how prepared they are to compete against the league's better teams.
And even though Detroit's offense and defense struggled through some inconsistencies the previous day, Campbell sees a roster on the brink of turning the corner after going 3-13-1 his first season with the franchise.