I left it out of my earlier blog, but I talked to Tatum Bell this afternoon for a story for Wednesday's paper. Bell's been kind of reclusive this camp, turning down most interview requests, but he finally spoke for a few minutes about his battle for the No. 1 running-back job.

He said he thinks he's "had a solid camp" and believes he'll win the starting job when everything shakes out. Rookie third-round pick Kevin Smith started Sunday's game against Cincinnati after Bell got the nod in the opener against the Giants.

"I just feel like I got to stay consistent in practice and I feel like practice will be the ultimate factor," Bell said. "I know games, you got to play in the game, but grind it out, pop a big run and be consistent in practice and keep taking care of the ball and no (missed assignments) and I think I should be the starter. That's how I feel."

Bell has carried 12 times this preseason for 17 yards, a not-so-impressive 1.4-yard-per-carry average. "I ain't did nothing in the preseason," he said.

Smith has 13 carries for 31 yards, nothing to write home about but he appears to have more juice in his cuts. He was listed No. 1 on the depth chart Tuesday for the first time this year.

No starting running back has been named yet, either for Saturday's third preseason game or beyond. And while I think Smith will eventually get the nod, it'd be a mistake to cut Bell. He's the second best runner on the team, has had success in a zone-blocking system before (two years ago he topped 1,000 yards in Denver), and with a bona fide commitment to the run the Lions can't rely solely on a rookie.

Either way, Bell, who fell out of favor with former offensive coordinator Mike Martz through no reason of his own, said he's content he's been given a fair opportunity in camp — something he didn't get from Martz.

"I don't think nothing's predetermined," he said. "I think whoever the starter ends up being, he'll work for it and I'm going to give my props. Ain't going to be nobody throwing nobody under the bus over here on my side."