DETROIT — Daunte Culpepper looks at the “Three D’s” when he thinks about competing with Matthew Stafford for the Lions’ starting quarterback job:

The first “D” is the debate. Culpepper has spoken to reporters twice since training camp began — on the first day and after Saturday’s 27-26 victory over Atlanta in the exhibition opener.
“There’s a lot of debating going around,” Culpepper said. “Obviously you guys see I don’t choose to be in the debate.”
The second “D” is the decision.
“The decision is for the coaching staff,” Culpepper said. “That’s not my decision. But I’m very determined.”
That’s the third “D.”
Culpepper’s career derailed when he suffered a severe knee injury with Minnesota in 2005. He wasn’t the same player with Miami in 2006, Oakland in ’07 and Detroit in ’08.
But he lost more than 30 pounds in the off-season, taking him down to about 260, the weight at which he once excelled.
“Definitely, I feel stronger,” Culpepper said. “My feet, my legs, I feel I’ve finally gotten them back to be the player I want to be, and I feel comfortable.”
Culpepper also has had the benefit of a full off-season program for the first time since 2005, and he said he feels prepared and confident. He was 5-for-6 for 41 yards and rushed three times for 12 yards .
He politely praised Stafford.
“Obviously he’s a talented player, and he’s going to be really good in this league for a long time,” Culpepper said.
But he’s here to compete. Hence, the “Three D’s,” which apparently just popped into his head.
“I just think of stuff sometimes,” Culpepper said, smiling. “Like a thinker.”
O-LINE IMPRESSES: Lions coach Jim Schwartz said he was impressed with the offensive linemen, who ran the ball no matter the defensive front and kept the quarterbacks clean. Also, because of injuries, the first line played the whole first half, the second line the whole second half.
“The offensive line had a heavy load to carry,” Schwartz said. “Our numbers are down. They did a really nice job of hanging in there, because typically in the first preseason game, you’re not playing as much as either group did.”
INJURY UPDATE: Linebacker Cody Spencer suffered a knee injury.
“It doesn’t look real good,” Schwartz said.
Sixteen players sat out, most with minor injuries. The Lions were missing arguably their top-four receivers, their top-three safeties, two of their top-three tight ends, their top defensive tackle and their backup running back. Schwartz said more than half would have played if it were a regular-season game.