Brandon Moore vs. Ndamukong Suh: The Key Matchup in the Trenches
by John B on Nov 6, 2010 8:27 AM EDT
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PrintDetroit's defensive line is playing well. While their record might only be 2-5, the Lions are playing competitive football on most weeks, which has not happened in a while. The work of that defensive line deserves a lot of credit. Ndamukong Suh, rookie defensive tackle from Nebraska is the straw that stirs their drink so to speak.
Suh is a player who reminds me a lot of Kris Jenkins. He has a rare blend of size, athleticism, power, and strength. He has been a next to impossible matchup for offensive linemen this year. His 27 tackles and 6.5 sacks to this point belie how well he is playing. Peter King commented recently the rookie deserves consideration for Defensive Player of the Year.
Suh has been dominant, forcing double teams to contain him. Nose tackle Corey Williams does not flash the same ability to penetrate, but he has also been playing well. Jets fans lament how the loss of Jenkins cost Gang Green the chance to force an offensive line to block two nose tackles on each play. The Lions have something close to that, which has taken the focus off guys like Kyle Vanden Bosch and created favorable matchups for him. Vanden Bosch has more sacks this year in seven games than he did last year in sixteen. He looked washed up for the Titans last season. While he is playing better to a large extent, life is easier with a pair of big guys constantly taking up a lot of blockers.
Detroit lines Suh up all over the place. In recent weeks, he has even gotten looks at defensive end. He should see the majority of his snaps lining up over right guard Brandon Moore, though. Over the past few years, Moore has worked hard to turn himself from unspectacular into one of the game's best kept secrets. It will be a great matchup.
The strength of the Jets' offensive line is the capabilty of all five guys to win matchups against the best the league has to offer without needing help. A guy like Suh usually either causes disruption or draws a double team, forcing a defense to use up a extra blocker, which means that second guy isn't blocking somebody else. A defender gets freed up in this numbers game. The Jets largely avoid this. This week's burden falls to Moore. The way he handles Suh could go a long way to determining whether this game is more difficult than the conventional wisdom dictates.
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I disagree with a couple things though John B.
First of all, Corey Williams does show the same ability to penetrate as Suh, the main difference is the amount of times he shows it, which is obviously less. Williams has re surged back into his former Green Bay self, where he was slapped with the franchise tag and had 7 sacks before being traded to Cleveland.
Ndamukong Suh isn’t like Kris Jenkins either. I compare Suh to the “Ministry of Defense” Reggie White for his ability to not only stuff the run, but rush the passer and run down field and make a tackle, which White did quite often. He even resembles White with his body structure and frame size as well. Not to take anything away from Jenkins, who is a good player, but Suh is better than Kris Jenkins and will be throughout his career.
I’m looking forward to this matchup with Revis and Megatron even more than I probably should though. I sincerely doubt that Ryan would be stupid enough to leave Revis or Cromartie alone all day against Calvin Johnson, a 6ft 5in, 245lb, 48in vertical jumping,4.35 in the 40 speed monster that he is. Not one cornerback in this league can cover him all day by themselves, it hasn’t been done yet since he got in this league. I know they will play single high safety with coverage rolling toward Johnson just like always. Nice try though Ryan, make like Revis or Cromartie can single cover him all day, yeah that’s just not believable.
Another great matchup is the Stafford vs Sanchez debate on who is the better QB from the 09’ class. While I think Stafford will end up with the better career, Sanchez clearly has the early edge because he got his team to the AFC Championship in just his rookie season. But, Stafford has that monumental 5 TD, 420+yd rookie record game against Cleveland last year where he came in and won the game at the last minute with an AC separation, something Sanchez doesn’t have.
It’s going to be a exciting game, Lion and Jets fans. Get your popcorn ready and pop a squat on the couch Sunday. It’s likely to be a memorable one!
From 0-16 to the Superbowl baby!
I don't know that this game or even season will tell us much about Stafford vs. Sanchez
At this point Stafford is always going to be asked to do more just due to having a less reliable ground game and weaker defense, and the stats are going to show that. The Jets with their defense and offensive line are likely to be a run first team, with Sanchez simply being asked not to make mistakes.
by Stephen Schmidt on Nov 6, 2010 10:33 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree about Suh. He looks to be every bit the “next great defensive player” that he’s shown himself to be thus far. The Lions are my 3rd favorite team so I was super happy when they got him and I love that he’s dominating.
As for weather or not Revis can match up against Megatron—I dunno, it’s hard to say. If he’s 100% healthy and playing at last year’s level, I’d be surprised if he didn’t. He completely shut down Andre Johnson and Vincent Jackson, as well as Randy Moss twice. All three guys that are way bigger than Revis. And he not only shut down TO (which I mean okay who was throwing to him), but he knocked him clear on his ass on a widely-replayed play.
So I don’t know, it’s hard to say. Revis’s game is basically to bump his man at the line and then he is pretty much shadowing the receiver and playing the ball from the moment it leaves the QB’s hands. His speed and strength are really, really underestimated as is his leaping ability, but I doubt even he could get a good bump off the line on Megatron. He’s definitely the biggest, baddest receiver he’d ever have to face in the league. I think that if Revis is playing at his best, the only way he gets beat is basically by flawless throws. With Calvin’s size and athletic ability, that window for where a “flawless throw” is bigger than with any other receiver he’s faced, but it’s still a pretty tight window. I’m so friggin’ excited about this matchup OMG
You and I both.
Despite CJ being some 6 inches taller than Revis, CJ put up a 42.5 inch vertical during his combine. Revis put up a 38. Clearly, Revis plays a lot bigger than he is, but hamstrings aren’t known to be great for jumping — I don’t care how “100%” you are, there’s always some lessening of the extreme ends of someone’s performance when it comes to that kind of injury.
First of all, Corey Williams does show the same ability to penetrate as Suh, the main difference is the amount of times he shows it, which is obviously less.
This was the point I was trying to make.
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Oh and about as far as Stafford vs. Sanchez goes
Stafford is definitely farther along than Sanchez, easily. Comparing the teams they have around them, the fact that their numbers are similar is pretty much the most obvious indication that Stafford is the better QB right now. A lot of it has to do with our offense—and anyone here will tell you how much I hate our offensive coordinator—which I don’t think allows Sanchez to get comfortable or make easy reads it seems. In fact, that’s the only explanation I have as he was super accurate in college.
I’m not sure I agree. I haven’t really seen anything that distinguishes either. I think they’re equal at this point. Both have shown flashes, but neither has put it completely together.
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Of course, but Stafford has been playing with a terrible offense (last year at least) around him whereas Sanchez has been playing with one of the most talent-laden offenses in the league around him.
He's also likely much more limited because of this
The fact that he has such a good running game and defense has really led to a conservative approach by the coaching staff, which is likely something we wouldn’t be seeing elsewhere.
by Stephen Schmidt on Nov 6, 2010 12:20 PM EDT up reply actions
The Lions are still pussycats.
They allow 24 points per game. They allow 350 yards per game (130 rushing, 220 passing). They’re the perfect opponent to get our offense back on track. They can’t stop the run, and they let you waltz into the end zone.
Their offense is completely one-dimmensional and plays right into the strength of our defense. They can’t run the ball for snot and have a QB thats as fragile as a china doll.
Game plan: Run run run; blitz blitz blitz.
This game should be like whacking a pinata unblindfolded with a baseball bat.
Wow I feel like I'm back at Hogs Haven
You should be glad you’re team isn’t taking the Lions as lightly as you are. I hope you do blitz blitz blitz because that would almost guarantee the game for the Lions IMO, because that would allow Stafford to get huge check down gains with our sick 2 TE sets or to Best and K. Smith. And if you think the Lions simply let other teams waltz into the endzone check out the goal line stand against the Bears from week 1.
I have to say. I think the truth lies somewhere between the guaranteed victories we see here predicted for the Lions and the Jets.
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Come on JB. I understand your diplomacy, and its only appropriate for you to be that way. But if the Jets lose, I highly doubt that the title of your post-game write-up is going to be “A Tough Loss to a Good Football Team.” Its much more likely that it would be the poignant question, “Are the Jets Really a Legitimate Playoff Contender?” The subtext being that its hard to say yes because the Lions are NOT a legitimate playoff contender.
If the Jets are as good of a team as most of us at GGN believe that it is, then this game is a game that we should win comfortably. If we lose, its because we’re not that good; not because the Lions are legit. The Lions, although better than in yesteryear (which says what exactly?), are still not a good football team.
There's a pretty big difference between the Redskins and Jets defenses.
I don’t think I’d call this game a cakewalk by any stretch, but if the Jets play up to their abilities it should be a fairly routine win. The talent gap between the two teams is certainly closing, but it’s still not all that close on the whole.
by Stephen Schmidt on Nov 6, 2010 1:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes there is a big difference
But I don’t think either team will need to score 30 points to win this game. The Lions have put up points on good defenses. But it’s not the Jets defense that I think is giving the lions an opportunity to win this game I think it’s the Jets offense. They can be very good, but as was seen last week they can also be not so good. I think the Jets are going to win this game but I would give the lions at least a 30-35% chance of winning this game, in other words I wouldn’t be surprised if they win but I certainly don’t expect it.
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