Detroit Lions Tickets - All Eyes on Suh
August 29, 2010 by Stub_Hub
For the last two seasons, the Detroit Lions have been in a rebuilding state, and they have been able to secure some of the top young names in the league. During the 2010 NFL Draft, they used their first round pick (second overall) on defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh. Suh made headlines during the offseason because of how long it took to negotiate his contract, but his holdout was worth the wait. Suh and the Lions agreed to a five-year deal worth more than $60 million, with $40 million guaranteed. The total puts him as one of the top-paid players in the league, meaning there are high expectations for the rookie star.
Suh drew much attention during his time as a standout at the University of Nebraska. His awards from 2009 alone are more than most players amass in a lifetime. He was a Heisman Trophy Finalist along with winning the Associated Press Players of the Year, Nebraska Team MVP, First Team All-American, Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year and many, many more awards. He started his career as an injured redshirt in 2005 because he had to get knee surgery, but he was a top contributor for the next four seasons. In 2009, he tallied 85 tackles and 12 sacks.
The Lions kicked off their preseason on Saturday, Aug. 14 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, and the Steelers weren't taking any chances with Suh. In his NFL debut Suh fought against a double team, but he still managed to display a high level of talent and skills. He played 11 snaps, leaving those with Detroit Lions tickets wanting to see more from the larger-than-life star. The Lions ended up losing the game 23-7, but the score was hardly the biggest news of the day.
Preseason games are often more about analyzing the efforts of the teams rather than who wins and who loses. The Lions are still working with last season's first-round pick, quarterback Matthew Stafford. In his time in the game, Stafford was eight of 11 for 61 yards, one touchdown and one interception. His shining moment came when he connected with wide receiver Calvin Johnson in the second quarter for the Lions' only score. Last season, Stafford played and started in 10 games, tallying 2,267 yards, 13 touchdowns, 20 interceptions and a passer rating of 61.0. The game also shows off backup quarterbacks Shaun Hill and Drew Stanton.
The preseason has already begun, but the Lions are still looking to add depth and potency to their roster. They moved in that direction following their first preseason game by claiming kicker Steve Hauschka off waivers from the Atlanta Falcons and also adding defensive back T.J. Rushing off of waivers. Hauschka made nine out of 13 field goal attempts for the Baltimore Ravens last season. Rushing was a contributor for the Colts in 2006 and 2007, but a knee injury limited his contributions the last two seasons. To make room, the Lions cut ties with kicker Aaron Pettrey and cornerback Jahi Word-Daniels.
