'Unsung Heroes' Making Difference for Lions' Defense

Read more on how several unheralded players are making a difference for the Detroit Lions' defense so far in 2022.

There's no questioning the fact that the Detroit Lions' defense didn't look the sharpest in Week 1 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Aaron Glenn's unit allowed Jalen Hurts and the Eagles' backfield to rush for a total of 216 yards, including 5.5 yards per carry. 

It was far from a solid start to the season for Glenn's defense. And, it brought back many ugly memories from last year, when the defense was anything but stout.

However, then last week rolled around, and the Lions looked like a completely different team on the defensive side of the ball.

Glenn & Co. not only pitched a shutout in the first half against the Washington Commanders, but they also kept running back Antonio Gibson and Washington's ground game in check.

For starters, they limited Gibson to just 28 yards on 14 carries. They also held Gibson and former Lions running back J.D. McKissic, the two backs used by Washington on Sunday, to a measly 2.2 yards per carry. 

Glenn's unit rebounded nicely from its porous Week 1 performance, and it wasn't just because of the play of EDGE rushers Aidan Hutchinson and Charles Harris, to name a few standout performers in Week 2.

It also took the guys in the middle of the defensive line -- Benito Jones and Isaiah Buggs -- clogging up the holes for Gibson and Washington's running game.

Jones and Buggs might not fill up the stat sheet. But, to Glenn, they were the "unsung heroes" of the defense a week ago vs. the Commanders. 

"I'll tell you what, those -- it was a joy to watch those two guys play in this game, because I’ll tell you what, when you have guys like that, that can take three or four gaps, it’s pretty huge for your defense," Glenn told reporters Thursday. "And, I will tell you they’re unsung heroes because for Aidan (Hutchinson) and Charles (Harris) to get what they got, they couldn’t have gotten them without those guys in the middle. So, you guys give those guys some love. Now, you don’t write about them enough.”

The presence of Buggs and Jones has also aided fellow interior defensive lineman Alim McNeill through the first two weeks of the season.

© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

© Kirthmon F. Dozier / USA TODAY NETWORK

As a result of playing alongside the pairing, McNeill, a third-round draft pick of the Lions in 2021, has learned new ways to take on blockers.

“I think we’ve got a good chemistry going now. But, it’s been really helpful for me for them being here,” McNeill commented Thursday. “Just being able to diagnose a certain block different ways. Being able to read a block nowadays is easy for me, but like, there’s different ways that you can play things -- be more explosive or help the team out.

“The last two weeks, I’ve been getting a lot of double teams. To me, it’s kinda crazy, but I kind of like it a little bit. Because it allows the guys around me to eat up, get them some one-on-ones for Aidan and Charles, and stuff like that, (such as) Buggs inside.”

Just as the defensive line was beginning to click, the Lions suffered some unfortunate news on the injury front earlier this week.

Defensive lineman John Cominsky, who suffered a right thumb injury in Detroit's win over Washington Sunday, underwent surgery on the ailment Tuesday. Although he hasn't been placed on injured reserve, the 6-foot-5, 285-pounder is expected to miss several weeks while he recovers.

Through the first two weeks of the season, the one-time draft pick of the Atlanta Falcons was playing the best football of his career.

He produced a team-high seven quarterback pressures against the Commanders, plus came away with a huge sack of quarterback Carson Wentz on Washington's final play of the game. He also has 10 QB pressures on the season, which leads the Lions.

The loss of Cominsky leaves a significant void along Detroit's defensive line, and to Glenn, this is when the "next-man-up" mentality comes into play.

"Anytime we lose a guy on our defense, man, (it) is a huge loss, because I count on those guys each week (and) there’s a specific plan for every guy that we have," Glenn said. "But, we do know this, and I know this is a cliché that this is a 'next-man-up' league, but it’s a true statement, though. So, we’ll miss 'Commish' (Cominsky), talked to him last night for a little bit and he’s chomping at the bit to get back. 

"But, I’ll tell you what, that gives an opportunity for somebody else on our defense to go out there and play. So, those guys are looking forward to it. (Lions defensive lineman Austin Bryant) AB, (Lions linebacker Julian Okwara) JO, all those guys are looking forward to go out there playing.”

Speaking of Okwara, he is one of Detroit's defenders that should see a bump in playing time, due to Cominsky's absence.

Okwara played in his first game of the 2022 campaign a week ago, and put together a solid performance.

In his season debut, the younger of the two Okwaras on the Lions' roster -- Romeo Okwara is his older brother -- recorded two tackles, including one quarterback hit and an impressive five QB pressures.

Julian didn't line up on the inside of Detroit's D-line on Sunday. However, it is possible that the Notre Dame product does moving forward, as a result of Glenn's penchant for moving around his "chess pieces."

"We all kinda play inside, outside,” Okwara expressed, in reference to his versatility and the flexibility of his defensive counterparts. " ... so I think we have a lot of guys that can show that versatility and rush on the inside and the outside. We got Hutch. We got A.B. (Bryant), everybody. I think we’ve all had chances to rush on the inside and the B-gap and rushing the guard. So, I think we all have that experience.

“(On the) D-line overall, I think we got good depth. I think just being able to have that next-man-(up) mentality in, we got a lot of rotations, and we got a lot of guys that can get after the quarterback. I think just being able, the next guy who comes in there has to be able to fill that role. Definitely going to miss that guy (Cominsky). He definitely works hard and busts his (expletive) off. He’ll be back soon. I’m glad that’s the plan.”

Glenn is looking to forward to a good year from the third-year pro in Okwara.

"Well, JO is a fast ball for us, especially off the edge. So, we try to utilize him in those situations as much as we can," Glenn conveyed. "Obviously, last year, he had one of his -- if not his best year. We’re looking for him to actually have a better year this year, because we know what he can do now. So, it’s just to us as coaches to make sure we continue to put him in a situation where he can be successful.

"So, it’s good to have him back, he still -- he’s still improving. He’s still coming off that injury. It usually takes a while when you come off a hamstring. So, really looking forward to see how he’s going to operate this week, going into the year. But, I think that guy’s going to have a good year.”