The Detroit Lions have been at the bottom of the NFL for the past 10 years. Losing was the norm for Detroit fans because every year the Lions ended up with a horrible record.
After the 2010 season, the Lions have been crushing opponents with a newly found defense. The master key to the defense is defensive tackle, Ndamukong Suh. Suh was chosen in the first round of the 2010 NFL Draft from Nebraska.
He showed his dominance with brute force and strength. Teams had to rearrange their offense in order to account for Suh. The one downfall of Suh is his anger and passion.
Suh has been known to channel his anger and passion in inappropriate ways on the field. He has been called for many penalties and ejections from roughing the passer, head to head tackles, and unsportsmanlike conduct. “He’s a blind dog let loose in a meat house,” said Fox Sports analyst Jason Whitlock about young Suh.
So far, one of the most controversial has been the “Thanksgiving Stomp.” On November 24th, 2011, the Detroit Lions played the undefeated Green Bay Packers. After tackling Packers’ guard Evan Dietrich-Smith, Suh separated himself from Dietrich-Smith by using his helmet. Suh pushed Dietrich-Smith’s head into the ground and after he got up, raised his right knee and stomped on Dietrich-Smith’s right hand. Suh was quickly penalized and ejected. The Lions went on to lose 27-15.
Suh has been suspended for two games and is trying to appeal the suspension. He missed the penalty filled New Orleans Saints game and will miss the December 11th home game against Minnesota.
In the Saints game, three defensive tackles added 107 yards onto the Saints’ drives. They had 11 penalties which came from pushing the referee, punching opponents, and offensive pass interference. The game showed that Suh isn’t helping the team by committing silly penalties. If the team is committing penalties alone, why would they need Suh stomping on people?
Suh has been compared to all- time defensive great “Mean” Joe Greene. The Steelers defensive tackle was known for hard hits and head to head tackles during the 1970’s. They are very similar in their rough and tumble play, but times have changed. The NFL has created more rules against wild play. These rules are hindering Suh from using sheer anger to have success on the field, which may leave a sour taste in the mouth of other teams when his free agency comes around.
Showing posts with label Green Bay Packers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Green Bay Packers. Show all posts
Monday, December 5, 2011
Friday, February 11, 2011
James Starks: Green Bay’s “Not-So” Secret Weapon
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| James Starks 2010 Topps |
His lackluster performance off the bench during the regular season tricked many into thinking that he is another average running back in the NFC North. In his first start in two years, Starks ran for 123 yards in the opening round of the playoffs, after having just 29 carries for 101 yards in three games all season. This unpredicted feat surprised the rest of the league.
His performance is crucial for the Packers on Super Bowl Sunday, as their primary running backs have gone down due to injury throughout the season. If he plays like he has been playing as of late, James Starks will take the pressure off quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has a knack for running the ball well when none of his receivers are open.
If Starks is able to continue his playoff performance, the Packers will have more options on offense, causing the Steelers defense to guard against both the pass and run. Starks’ ability to run the ball well opens up the Packers passing attack, as Rodgers will have more plays to run, thus becoming more unpredictable. His ability also takes the pressure off wide receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, as they will not have to worry about the ball going to them on every play. Balancing the Packers attack will allow them to thrive better as a team, especially on a stage as big as the Super Bowl.
There is no question that James Starks is an effective addition to the Packers. His skills, which were at one point unbeknownst to most of America, have now been the center of focus for the Steelers defense. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has put an extreme emphasis of not allowing Starks to get started early in the game.
Going into the Super Bowl on Sunday, Starks is ready. "It's an amazing feeling being here right now," Starks said. "You watch the Super Bowl all the time growing up, and you sit there and say, 'Man, I could be there someday.' But to be here, to make that a reality, it's just great to be here." Sunday is going to be a big battle for him, but nowhere near as much battling he has done over the past two years to get healthy again.
His performance is crucial for the Packers on Super Bowl Sunday, as their primary running backs have gone down due to injury throughout the season. If he plays like he has been playing as of late, James Starks will take the pressure off quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has a knack for running the ball well when none of his receivers are open.
If Starks is able to continue his playoff performance, the Packers will have more options on offense, causing the Steelers defense to guard against both the pass and run. Starks’ ability to run the ball well opens up the Packers passing attack, as Rodgers will have more plays to run, thus becoming more unpredictable. His ability also takes the pressure off wide receivers Greg Jennings and Jordy Nelson, as they will not have to worry about the ball going to them on every play. Balancing the Packers attack will allow them to thrive better as a team, especially on a stage as big as the Super Bowl.
There is no question that James Starks is an effective addition to the Packers. His skills, which were at one point unbeknownst to most of America, have now been the center of focus for the Steelers defense. Defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau has put an extreme emphasis of not allowing Starks to get started early in the game.
Going into the Super Bowl on Sunday, Starks is ready. "It's an amazing feeling being here right now," Starks said. "You watch the Super Bowl all the time growing up, and you sit there and say, 'Man, I could be there someday.' But to be here, to make that a reality, it's just great to be here." Sunday is going to be a big battle for him, but nowhere near as much battling he has done over the past two years to get healthy again.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
The One and a Half-Trick Pony
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| Mike Wallace / Mike Rhoads (Wikimedia Commons) |
Mike Wallace, standout wide receiver on the Pittsburgh Steelers, is a valuable asset to the team, and his performance could greatly affect the outcome of this year's Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers. He is only in his second year as a pro, but he is already a big part of the plan. He doesn’t get much attention from the quarterback, but when he does, it is deadly.
In the second round playoff game against the Cleveland Browns, the speed demon had only three receptions, but it came with a touchdown and a whopping 105 yards. However, he was labeled as a “one-trick pony” in a Pro Football Weekly interview by head coach Mike Tomlin. As a rookie, Wallace did not know how to use his speed effectively. All he did was use it to break away in the open field.
In the second round playoff game against the Cleveland Browns, the speed demon had only three receptions, but it came with a touchdown and a whopping 105 yards. However, he was labeled as a “one-trick pony” in a Pro Football Weekly interview by head coach Mike Tomlin. As a rookie, Wallace did not know how to use his speed effectively. All he did was use it to break away in the open field.
Wallace admits that he is not content with the title and stated, “I’ve scored touchdowns and made plays in all types of different ways, every week when he said it, (but) he still gives me the same name, and I don’t think it's going to change until at least next year." After that, Coach Tomlin gave him the label “one and a half trick pony,” according to a Kansas City Star article. Wallace said, “Well, I guess it means I’m getting better to go to one and a half. You got to start from somewhere.” Wallace has high hopes for his future and continues to get better. This upcoming Super Bowl, he may just pull another trick out of his hat.
Turning Point: Mendenhall Fumbles
The turning point of the game was when Rashard Mendenhall fumbled. This caused the Pittsburgh Steeler to lose a possible touchdown and gain the lead in the process. The Packers scored a touchdown which made the Steelers need two touchdowns to win the game. Even with Mike Wallace’s touchdown that cut the Packers lead to three points, Mason Crosby’s field goal at 2:07 furthered the Packers lead to 31-25. Although the Steelers did score a touchdown after the Packers touchdown to close the gap to one touchdown, there was not enough time left in the remainder of the match to tie the game or take the lead One touchdown would only tie the game and wit less than 2 minutes remaining, this caused great pressure for the Steelers as the last drive determined their lose or victory.
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