Detroit Lions vs atLanta faLcons JOHNSON'S Mega-PURSUIT 2012 ...

meDia information
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before Leshoure’s big debut. He is the third non-rookie to
record 26 or more carries in their NFL debut and the first
to do so in a non-strike game.
• Leshoure helped the Lions run-game record 11 rushing
first downs against the Titans (9/23), helping the team to a
single-game franchise-record 36 total first downs.
INTeRNaL PReSSURe
The Lions defense is led by the internal pressure they put on opponents,
combined with a hard rush on the edges. In all, the line
features a rotation of eight defensive linemen who guide the defense
with an aggressive approach.
¾ DT Ndamukong Suh picked up the Lions’ only sack of the
game in Week 15 at Arizona (12/16) with a seven-yard takedown
on QB Ryan Lindley, pushing his season total to 6.5
sacks on the year.
¾ The Lions defensive line recorded their third-straight game
with a forced fumble in Week 14 at Green Bay (12/9) thanks
to a nine-yard sack from DE Lawrence Jackson that was recovered
by LB Stephen Tulloch. DT Nick Fairley and DE Cliff
Avril also both each finished the game with a sack, giving them
5.5 and 9.5 sacks through 13 games this season, respectively.
¾ DT Ndamukong Suh had his best performance of the season
in Week 13 vs. Indianapolis (12/2), terrorizing the Colts’ backfield
with six total tackles (five solo), including four tackles for
loss, one sack and one pass defense. Suh now has 19.5 sacks
for his career.
• DE Cliff Avril continued his domination on the Lions defensive
line in Week 12 vs. Indianapolis (12/2), recording one
sack for a loss of 12 yards and his second straight forced
fumble. Avril leads the Lions in sacks this season with 8.5.
¾ DE Cliff Avril picked up two sacks for a total loss of 19 yards
in Week 13 vs. Houston on Thanksgiving Day (11/22). Avril finished
the day with two additional solo tackles, including one
tackle-for-loss and one forced fumble.
aTTackINg THe LINe OF ScRIMMage
The Lions defense is aggressive at the point of attack and has
forced negative plays in against both the pass and the run.
¾ This season, the Lions have forced 110 negative plays on
defense (sacks, tackles for loss on rushing plays, tackles
for loss on pass completions), which is third-best in the
NFL.
¾ The team’s 110 negative defensive plays have resulted in
a total loss of 418 yards, which is the most lost yardage
in the NFL.
¾ On the ground, the Lions have dropped opponents for a
loss 68 times on rushing plays (second in NFL).
¾ Detroit has also registered 11 tackles for loss on pass
completions.
2012 NFL Leaders, Negative Defensive Plays
Rk Team Sk SkY RFL Yds PFL Yds Total Yds
1 Tampa Bay 25 168 83 186 12 31 120 385
2 St. Louis 41 261 67 144 4 8 112 413
3 Detroit 31 217 68 165 11 36 110 418
4 Tennessee 31 188 55 103 14 44 100 335
5 Philadelphia 28 174 63 144 8 17 99 335
2012 NFL Leaders, Tackles for Loss on Rushing Plays
Rk Team Sk SkY TFL Yds PFL Yds Total Yds
1 Tampa Bay 25 168 83 186 12 31 120 385
2 Detroit 31 217 68 165 11 36 110 418
3 St. Louis 41 261 67 144 4 8 112 413
4 Philadelphia 28 174 63 144 8 17 99 335
5 Oakland 21 163 55 115 9 26 85 304
Includes sacks for 0 Yards; RFL: Rushing play resulting in loss of yards;
PFL: Pass completion resulting in loss of yards.
Courtesy Stats, LLC.
rUsH to score, cont...
Lions Leaders, Rushing Touchdowns By Quarterbacks
Rk Player Year G Att Yds Avg Lg TD
1 Greg Landry 1972 14 81 524 6.5 38 9
2 Dutch Clark 1934 12 123 763 6.2 - 8
3t Dutch Clark 1936 12 123 628 5.1 - 7
3t Eric Hipple 1981 16 41 168 4.1 18 7
5 Rodney Peete 1990 11 47 363 7.7 37 6
6t Dutch Clark 1937 11 96 468 5.1 - 5
6t Bobby Layne 1956 12 46 169 3.7 20 5
6t Jim Ninowski 1960 11 32 81 2.5 14 5
6t Jim Ninowski 1961 13 33 238 7.2 40t 5
10t Dutch Clark 1935 12 120 427 3.6 - 4
10t Bob Gagliano 1989 11 41 192 4.7 19 4
10t Bobby Layne 1950 12 56 250 4.5 30 4
10t Scott Mitchell 1995 16 36 104 2.9 18 4
10t Scott Mitchell 1996 14 37 83 2.2 9 4
10t Rodney Peete 1989 8 33 148 4.5 14t 4
10t Matthew Stafford 2012 13 31 115 3.7 11 4
2012 NFL Leaders, Rushing Touchdowns
Rk Player Team G TD
1 Arian Foster Hou 14 14
2t Adrian Peterson Min 14 11
2t Trent Richardson Cle 14 11
4t Marshawn Lynch Sea 14 10
4t Doug Martin TB 14 10
4t Stevan Ridley NE 14 10
7t Alfred Morris Was 14 9
7t Ray Rice Bal 14 9
7t Michael Turner Atl 14 9
10t Andre Brown NYG 10 8
10t Mikel Leshoure Det 12 8
ansWerinG tHe beLL
2012 NFL Leaders, Receiving Yards By Running Backs
Rk Player Tm G Rec Yds Avg Lg TD
1 Darren Sproles NO 11 60 484 8.1 35 6
2 Marcel Reece Oak 14 48 478 10.0 56 1
3 Ray Rice Bal 14 55 427 7.8 43 0
4 Doug Martin TB 14 38 397 10.4 64t 1
5 Joique Bell Det 14 41 393 9.6 50 0
6 Ronnie Brown SD 12 46 360 7.8 25 0
NFL Leaders, Average Yards Per Reception Among RBs
Rk Player Tm G Rec Yds Avg Lg TD
1 Doug Martin TB 14 38 397 10.4 64t 1
2 James Casey Hou 14 31 313 10.1 30 3
3 Danny Woodhead NE 14 33 329 10.0 25 2
4 Marcel Reece Oak 14 48 478 10.0 56 1
5 Joique Bell Det 14 41 393 9.6 50 0
6 C.J. Spiller Buf 14 37 352 9.5 32t 1
Line DisrUPtion
The Lions defense has heated up in recent weeks, and the engine driving
this movement is the Lions’ defensive front four.
¾ Combined, the Lions defensive linemen have 57.0 negative defensive
plays (sacks and tackles for losses on rushing plays), tied for
first in the NFL among defensive line units.
¾ Through Week 15, the Lions defensive line has generated 29.0
sacks, which is fifth in the NFL among defensive lines.
¾ Detroit’s line has stuffed the run quite often. The Lions D-Line
is second in the NFL among defensive lines with 28.0 tackles for
losses on rushing plays.
2012 NFL Leaders, Total Negative Plays by Defensive Linemen
Rk Team Sk Yds RFL Yds Total Yds
1t Detroit 29.0 206.0 28.0 80.5 57.0 286.5
1t St. Louis 30.0 169.5 27.0 69.5 57.0 239.0
3t Tampa Bay 20.0 144.0 32.0 73.0 52.0 217.0
3t Philadelphia 26.0 156.0 26.0 60.5 52.0 216.5
2012 NFL Leaders, Sacks By Defensive Linemen
Rk Team Sk Yds RFL Yds Total Yds
1t Carolina 34.0 244.0 6.5 15.0 40.5 259.0
1t Cincinnati 34.0 224.0 17.0 39.5 51.0 263.5
3 Chicago 33.0 226.0 17.5 33.0 50.5 259.0
4 St. Louis 30.0 169.5 27.0 69.5 57.0 239.0
5 Detroit 29.0 206.0 28.0 80.5 57.0 286.5