Detroit Lions: Can and Should Ndamukong Suh Behave Himself?

As a defensive lineman at Nebraska, Ndamukong Suh was one of the most decorated players in college football history. His hardware included the AP College Football Player of the Year Award, and the Nagurski, Bednarik, Lombardi and Outland trophies.

He registered videogame-like defensive stats. He was an obvious draft choice for a Detroit Lions team that had bricked badly in the 2009 season. After being named rookie of the year in 2010, it became clear that he was a great addition to the team.

Since his high school days, Suh has always played with a great deal of "passion." This passion has been interpreted as anger and a desire to destroy his opponents.

During the Thanksgiving 2011 game against the Packers, he stomped on Evan Dietrich-Smith's arm after slamming his head into the ground. The shine was off the apple in the eyes of the sports media. Even before that he was called the "dirtiest player in the NFL," but that incident cemented his reputation.

The stomping incident resulted in Suh's ejection from the game, and a subsequent two-game suspension. Without Suh in the trenches, the Saints' potent offense crushed the Lions in their next game.

Suh is an integral part of the Lions' defense and his loss for even a game can have a dramatic effect on their performance. It is clear that when he is on the field, he produces. The first question regarding Suh this year is: Can he behave himself?

Suh can't do a thing to help his team if he is watching the game from home. The only way to guarantee his successful contribution to the team is if he can calm down enough to stop getting himself into trouble. With the Lions poised to make a legitimate run at a Super Bowl appearance, these concerns come into sharp relief.

The next question is: Should he behave himself?

Many Detroit fans would shudder to think of the implications of a docile Suh. His defensive success is a product of focused emotion and aggression. A sedate Suh may not be as successful as the gladiator loved by the fans and reviled by the media.