“I’ve made a couple plays on the practice field but we all know that the practice field and a game is a totally different place,” he said after practice Thursday as he prepares for his first preseason game Friday night. “I just have to translate it over and just go out and make a couple plays and execute my assignments.”
Bentley is likely to get the start at right cornerback opposite
“A lot of people want to know what I can do out there," Bentley said. "I want to know what I can do myself and go out and compete."
Bentley has looked good through the first two weeks of training camp practices and has separated himself from the other group of cornerbacks who have been trying to replace Aaron Berry as the team’s starting right cornerback.
Bentley, who played at Louisiana-Lafayette, was the team’s third-round selection (85th overall) in April’s NFL Draft. He said after practice Thursday that he was both nervous and excited for his first NFL game. He said the biggest home crowd he ever played in front of at college was 44,000 when Oklahoma State visited Cajun Field when he was a junior. He should expect to play in front of at least as many fans tomorrow night at Ford Field.
“I’m going to be nervous a little bit coming from college to the pros and starting as a rookie," Bentley said. "But I’m just going to try and go out and make the best of it. I’m just looking forward to going out and competing and trying to make a couple plays.”
WENDLING GETTING FIRST CRACK AT SAFETY?
In Thursday's practice,
Wendling, 29, has seen his playing time increase during training camp with
“It’s the same thing we’ve liked about him, No. 1 he’s smart,” head coach Jim Schwartz said of Wendling. “He’s had a very good camp. He’s knocked down a lot of passes, he’s been in the right spot all the time and he’s playing safety well for us. It’s not just special teams with spot play; he’s doing a good job playing the safety position.
SHAUN HILL KEEPING IT LOOSE
The monotony of training camp practice can eventually wear down most players, which is why Lions quarterback
“We pick and choose our times when we (quarterbacks) compete against one of the defensive backs in warm-ups. We usually try to wait until his body looks like it’s hurting bad,” Hill said with a laugh.
“It’s just fun to do that stuff, bring some levity to it. You can’t do it all the time, but for me it brings energy and I think it’s a good thing.”
Offensive coordinator Scott Linehan joked with the media after practice that Hill might have reached 4.995 seconds in the 40-yard dash during that bootleg late in practice.
MOORE LIKELY TO GET A LOT OF REPS
Third-string quarterback
If last year is any indication, Drew Stanton played the entire third quarter against the Bengals in the 2011 preseason opener and then fourth-string quarterback Zac Robinson played the fourth quarter.
“Yeah, certainly I’ll be a little nervous,” Moore said. “It’s kind of how you’re supposed to be. You’d be a little worried if you weren’t. But, you know, it’s a good opportunity just because it’s a game. Practice has its parts where, for example, if you’re a quarterback you’re not getting hit in practice. Game time, you’re full go and you’ve got to be ready to handle all those things.”
DRAFT PICKS READY FOR GAME ACTION
“I mean you wouldn’t be playing this game if you weren’t excited for playing in your first NFL game.
"The preseason is going to be a good deal, we're just practicing and don't have much to show for it, this will be our first opportunity to go out there and produce and really get into game mode. That's really going to be a good deal for us."
Bill Bentley, CB, third-round pick:
“I’m just looking forward to just going out and competing and trying to make a couple plays. I have a great opportunity to become a starter so I can go out tomorrow and maintain that position. Go out and make a couple plays and compete to the best of my ability and execute all my assignments.”
"Just getting out there. It's been awhile since I've been running down hitting somebody. So just to get out there and run loose on somebody else. I just can't wait. I'm ready and I'm feeding off of it."
“Well it’s definitely going to be exciting. I mean, I’m going to be cheering my teammates on, you know. Hopefully they do what we came to do and that’s get a win.”
"Just being out on the field. After going through OTAs and going through training camp, I'm just excited about being able to go on the field and compete against another team. I have a hometown friend (Adonis Thomas) that's on the other team so I'm excited about going against him because the first chance I had when we were in college he was actually injured. So I'm excited to be able to play against him."
Jonté Green, CB, sixth-round pick:
“It’s going to be real exciting. It’s my first NFL game so I’m looking forward to it. I just have to go out there and get it done.”
"Hitting again. It's been a long time since we've been able to hit someone other than our teammates so really just getting out there and hitting someone else. Once you play in front of 89,000 for four consecutive years (at Oklahoma) it doesn't get a lot better than that. Just being in that environment though and feeding off the crowd and getting out there and flying around.”
PRACTICE ABSENTEES
Defensive end
