The Detroit Lions are back in the friendly confines of Ford Field this afternoon as they host the Washington Commanders for Week 2 of the preseason.

It's another opportunity for players to make a statement for roster inclusion or playing roles. Just two preseason games and three practices remain in training camp before the team must cut down the roster to an initial 53 players and form the 16-man practice squad.

"Well, you just need to feel like things are cleaned up, that you're not making the same mistake twice," Lions head coach Dan Campbell said this week of what he hopes to see vs. Washington.

"Particularly these young guys, these young players, like, OK, what did you learn from the last game? That's really what you're looking for. Is there growth when the lights are on? In practice, you can see growth. You can see guys getting better. OK, now you were under the lights.

"You just want to see the growth, man. Are they learning from this? And it's not too big for them. And they can take the coaching to the field when it really matters in game time."

Here are five things to watch out for in today's preseason contest.

1. OFFENSIVE LINE PLAY

Detroit's offensive line has started settling into what it will probably look like Week 1 against New Orleans after a lot of moving parts earlier in camp. The Cade Mays wrist injury required more adjustments to be made.

Juice Scruggs, who was acquired from Houston in the David Montgomery trade, has taken a majority of the first-team reps at center since returning from a soft tissue injury that cost him some practice time early in camp.

Second-year OL Seth McLaughlin has also gotten some reps there with the first team, but it looks to be Scruggs' job to lose at this point. Right guard Tate Ratledge worked briefly at center last week, but that seems more like preparations for a gameday emergency.

There's been some center/quarterback snap issues that have popped in practice as Jared Goff gets used to his new center, but the hope is those are resolved before the regular season.

"(Scruggs) has played center, he's played in real games. He's suited for it. And it's just really about he getting up to speed with (Goff) and some of our calls and then those being on the same page with the guards and everything," Campbell said.

"Time on task. We have got time to get there. So, like I said, I see (Scruggs) playing in this game with that O-line. And so, this will be good work for them."

Christian Mahogany has taken the bulk of the first-team reps at left guard the last couple weeks and he's in the driver's seat for that role come the regular season, especially with veteran Ben Bartch currently in concussion protocol.

The second-team offensive line at practice Thursday was Devin Cochran (LT), Mason Miller (LG), McLaughlin (C), Miles Frazier (RG) and Larry Borom (RT) as some of those backup and roster spots upfront are still being decided.

2. QUARTERBACK PLAY

"It is still open," Campbell said of the backup quarterback competition between veteran Josh Dobbs and undrafted rookie Luke Altmyer.

Dobbs will get the start against Washington this afternoon with both players getting equal playing time, per Campbell.

Dobbs arrived in Detroit last week and is still trying to get all the little details of Drew Petzing's offense down. He's excited about the opportunity to play and start today.

"I feel more comfortable through the walkthroughs and meeting time that I have. I feel like I have a good sense of what we're trying to accomplish on offense and what defenses are trying to do," Dobbs said. "Yeah, I'm excited about the opportunity to go out and play."

Dobbs was 4-for-8 for 32 yards playing 22 snaps in the preseason opener in Cincinnati. Altmyer finished 13-for-22 for 130 yards with one touchdown, two interceptions and a fumble playing 44 snaps.

3. SLOT CORNERBACK ROTATION

One of the more hotly contested position battles remaining in training camp is the nickel cornerback spot.

Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard continues rotating between rookie Keith Abney II and veterans Roger McCreary and Christian Izien. Part of that rotation is learning what each player does well. We could see different players in that role come the regular season based on the matchup or situation. Maybe one player runs away with the job this week.

Abney recorded five tackles and recovered a fumble playing 44 reps in his preseason debut against the Bengals, the second most snaps among all Lions defenders in that contest. McCreary had four tackles and a pass defended in 39 snaps. Izien had two tackles in 26 reps.

How will the rotation and snaps be divided up today? Will anyone separate themselves from the pack?

4. WIDE RECEIVER ROLES

Campbell said recently this is the most talented wide receiver room he's had in his tenure in Detroit. It is a deep group comprised of veterans and youngsters and there will likely be some tough conversations when deciding on the fifth and potentially sixth receiver spots.

As it currently stands, Greg Dortch is the top candidate to replace Kalif Raymond as the team's primary punt returner, but special teams coordinator Dave Fipp said this week veteran Tom Kennedy is still in the mix for the role too.

Tay Martin has had an impressive camp both on offense and special teams, and he earned some first-team reps this week when Jameson Williams sat out a couple practices with a shoulder injury. Dominic Lovett has flashed some ability to separate and make plays, and Tarik Black had a nice 24-yard touchdown catch in the first preseason contest.

Then there's Cedrick Wilson Jr., a savvy veteran with a lot of NFL experience both offensively and on special teams who has drawn praise from the coaching staff for his ability to play the X, Y and Z receiver spots. Kennedy can also play all four spots and has earned the respect of Campbell for his reliability on offense and special teams.

It will be interesting to watch how that competition plays out. Keep a close eye on special teams because that could ultimately decide the final spot(s).

5. PASS RUSH

Rookie Derrick Moore has come on strong in practice since returning from a groin injury that kept him out a couple weeks. He should make his preseason debut today and the Lions are excited about their second-round pick's potential.

"He just got back and the good news is he's gotten two good days of work," Campbell said Thursday. "That's positive, but he's got a long way to go. He just needs reps. Moore needs reps, but we like what we see for the limited amount of snaps he's had so far, but it'll be big."

Veteran DJ Wonnum has had a consistent camp and looks to be a nice fit in Sheppard's defense with his length and skillset. Campbell likes how Wonnum and Moore have complemented All-Pro Aidan Hutchinson on the other side.

There are some young players looking to earn roster spots and roles in the edge room and a few of them have really come on over the last week, making a strong case for inclusion. I'll have a close eye on Ahmed Hassanein, Eric O'Neill and Anthony Lucas against the Commanders. There might be only one roster spot available between them, so these next two preseason games are big for all three.