Is Detroit Lions DT Ndamukong Suh on the Path to an Epic Flameout?

Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh was regarded as one of the most punishing forces in the NFL last year. This season he has gone from celebrated defensive player to league pariah in an incredibly short period of time.

Suh's repeated personal fouls and dirty play had gotten him headlines even before he earned a two-game suspension for stomping on Green Bay Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith during their game on Thanksgiving. Now Suh has some problems off the field after a nasty car accident in Portland this past Saturday.

With all of that chaos surrounding him, is Suh actually headed for a monumental flameout in the NFL?

While everything going on with him right now is certainly alarming, I think Suh is far too good for that stuff to hurt his performance on the field. His immaturity is certainly a concern, but Suh has shown himself to be a smart, articulate kid who also has incredible athletic abilities. If he can just grow up and not let himself get carried away on or off the field, he should be fine.

He has a long way to go and maturity doesn't automatically develop for any 24-year-old, but given his position as a star NFL football player and essentially the face of the Detroit Lions, he needs to grow up fast.

Suh was a first-team All-Pro selection in 2010. He finished his first NFL season with 66 tackles, 10 sacks, a fumble recovery, one interception and a touchdown. Those were remarkable numbers for any defensive tackle, let alone a rookie.

This season through 11 games, Suh has 31 tackles and just three sacks. Now much of that has to do with the fact that he is facing constant double teams and offenses are focused on stopping his penetration. I actually think his lack of big plays this season may have led to frustration, which has led to his dirty play on the field. 

Still, there is no doubting the fact that Suh is not producing the way he was last year. He needs to figure out a way to deal with the added attention from opponents or people will start questioning his skill set.

I don't think Suh is headed for a flameout, but he has a lot of work to do if he wants to avoid people questioning his ability to keep himself on the field in the NFL.