DeAndre Levy's Emergence Makes Lions' Defense a Force to Be Reckoned with

Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy had his breakout season in 2013, when he picked off six passes and progressed from serviceable starter to impact player.

Some worried Levy would prove a one-year wonder, a heretofore nondescript veteran bubbling up for a great season only to fall back to relative obscurity. After all, his first four seasons were largely humdrum.

Year	Solo Tackles	TOs Created	PFF Grade
2009	61	3	-10.0
2010	50	4	-1.1
2011	73	2	-8.0
2012	57	2	-6.6

So when he spiked up to 85 tackles, seven created turnovers and a Pro Football Focus (subscription required) score of 9.3, it was fair to question if he could replicate his breakout campaign. 

Consider those concerns ameliorated. Levy has taken the proverbial next step up, even after his impressive 2013. He's now one of the best all-around linebackers in the NFL. And he's lifting the entire Detroit defense up with him. 

Detroit's oft-maligned defense has been one of the most pleasant league-wide surprises of the young season. Even though the unit finished last year strongly, most pundits predicted doom and gloom for the Lions defense in the 2014 campaign. 

Instead, the Lions defense is roaring to the top of the league.  

Category	Average	League Rank
QB Rating	80.4	6th
Passing Yards	180.7	3rd
Yards Per Carry	2.8	t-1st
Points Per Game	15.0	3rd
Yards Per Game	244.3	1st

They're doing a great job preventing the big play, an issue that has plagued Detroit for years. 

"

#Lions defense has yet to give up a rushing or passing play longer than 24 yards this season. #AntiJinx

— Jennifer Hammond (@HammerFox2) September 21, 2014"

Levy has always been at his best in coverage, and that remains true. Witness his lockstep coverage of Jordy Nelson out of the slot on what proved to be Green Bay's final offensive play. 

The former third-round pick is now showing up more as a run-stuffing force. It was never more on display than in the second quarter, where he posted Detroit's second defensive score of the day. 

Jason Jones (No. 91) facilitates the linebacker by blowing up overmatched tight end Richard Rodgers, pushing the rookie into Eddie Lacy's preferred path. Levy reacts expertly, swooping in and hammering Lacy to the Ford Field turf for a safety.

That was not the only occasion where the Wisconsin product destroys the Packers running game. Here's a play where he instinctively knows where the play is headed and beats the blockers to the punch. He's waiting for Lacy to get to the hole so he can thump the Packers running back. 

"

Gotta get up on Levy if you're going to run wide vs the Lions. https://t.co/G3rtIrDnIL

— Aaron Nagler (@AaronNagler) September 22, 2014"

Levy now ranks first among all outside linebackers in run defense at Pro Football Focus. Last year he ranked 24th, finishing even behind his current backup Ashlee Palmer. 

He keyed an outstanding performance from the entire banged-up Detroit defense. They stymied the once-mighty Packers offense into one of the worst outings of Rodgers' career. As Bleacher Report's Zach Kruse noted in his excellent piece on the game:

"

...the Lions also took away Eddie Lacy (11 carries, 36 yards, fumble), Jordy Nelson (five catches, 59 yards) and Randall Cobb (three catches, 29 yards). Lacy rushed for almost 1,200 yards last season. Nelson led the NFL in catches, targets and receiving yards through two weeks. Cobb had three touchdown receptions. Eliminating the three rendered Green Bay incapable of sustaining drives.

"

His ranginess and ability to consistently anticipate what the offense was trying to do stymied Aaron Rodgers and the vaunted Packers offense. 

Levy slid inside with Stephen Tulloch's unfortunate knee injury. Despite issues with the headset in the special helmet, he still quarterbacked the defense to a masterful performance while playing out of his normal position. 

His outstanding day led Peter King of MMQB to name him his defensive player of the week. In his explanation for the award, King states,

"

During the last 40 minutes, the Pack had only four possessions—and didn’t score a point on any of them. Levy had 10 tackles, including the safety, and broke up two passes. As a playmaking outside ’backer with the size (238 pounds) to play inside, Levy has become almost as important to the Detroit D as the big guys up front—it’s just that no one knows it yet.

"

Count Bleacher Report's Ty Schalter among those who have noticed.

"

DeAndre Levy makes another huge play. Trying not to beat this drum too hard, you guys, but he deserves more attention than he's getting.

— Ty Schalter (@tyschalter) September 21, 2014"

It's time for more people to realize Levy's great play. The Lions have one of the best defensive players in the league right now, and his name isn't Ndamukong Suh, Nick Fairley or Ezekiel Ansah.

It's DeAndre Levy. The rest of the NFL will learn about him soon enough.