Lions' Three-Headed DT Monster Could Shake Division
ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- People who watch Detroit's Matthew Stafford practice this summer keep telling me how terrific the quarterback looks and how effective his offensive line has been protecting him. Well, good. Because a healthy Matthew Stafford might determine how far the Lions go.
Of course, Stafford can't raise the Titanic alone. If you play in the NFC North you better have something more than a quarterback to catch Green Bay and Chicago; you better have something -- or someone -- to squeeze Aaron Rodgers and Jay Cutler, too.
And the Detroit Lions do.
I'm talking about their defensive line in general and their defensive tackles in particular. Ndamukong Suh is one of them; rookie Nick Fairley and Corey Williams are the others. And all play pivotal roles in the resurrection of the Detroit Lions.
Suh needs no introduction. He was the NFL's Defensive Rookie of the Year last season, and I'd be shocked if he didn't pull down Defensive Player of the Year votes this time around. In fact, based on what I saw of the guy in 2010, I'd make him a leading contender.
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Fairley is the Lions' first-round draft pick, but you won't find him at practice. He's recovering from a broken foot, an injury that required surgery to insert a screw -- and while he no longer walks in a protective boot he probably won't be ready for the regular-season opener.
Big deal. It's a 16-game season, and the Lions seem unconcerned. Besides, they have Williams, another disruptive force in the middle, and I think you can see where this is going: With Suh and Fairley as starters and Williams rotating in and out of the lineup, how does anyone block Detroit's defensive tackles?
"You probably have to use four guys," said defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham.
Well, now, we're getting somewhere. As I said, if you're serious about challenging Green Bay and Chicago you better be serious about attacking the pocket, and I mean attacking it without having to blitz. The Lions are, and look for them to push the middle with Suh, Fairley, Williams and Sammie Hill. Look for them to attack the edge, too, with people like Kyle Vanden Bosch, Cliff Avril and Lawrence Jackson -- provided, of course, Vanden Bosch is healthy. An injured shoulder kept him out of practice again Wednesday.
Their linebackers are so much better that coach Jim Schwartz calls them "our most improved position," while the secondary is still a question mark -- though there should be fewer leaks with Eric Wright at cornerback and the improved Amari Spievey at one safety.
