What will Za’Darius Smith bring to the Lions’ defense? Veteran left tackle Taylor Decker has a pretty good idea.
Smith entered the league in 2015 with Baltimore and Decker entered one year later in 2016 with Detroit. In 2019, Smith signed with Green Bay and for the next three years had two matchups a year against Decker and the Lions. That continued in 2022 when Smith played in Minnesota.
“First and foremost, I’ve always just liked him as a person,” Decker said of Smith. “He’s always been just a cool guy. As far as a rusher, I’ve always said he’s got incredibly violent hands. He was like that when he was back in Baltimore and then we’ve obviously seen him for a while in our division here. Incredibly violent hands. Powerful guy.
“I think one thing is he’s able to line up all across the field. You’ll see him over centers, you’ll see him over guards and tons of times you’re going to be lining up one-on-one with an offensive tackle.”
Decker said Smith has some swagger and confidence about him that he hopes will bleed into some of the young players along Detroit’s defensive line. Decker is pumped to finally have him as a teammate and not an opponent.
Lions vs. Jaguars | Week 11 preview
The veteran edge rusher will make his Lions debut Sunday against Jacksonville after the Lions traded for him at the Nov. 5 deadline. Smith (6-4, 270) has 5.0 sacks in nine games this season and will add some much-needed juice to Detroit’s pass rush.
“I’m not going to be looking at the stats. I just want to know that he’s doing his job and he’s as productive as he can be in that,” Lions head coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday of what he’s looking out for in Smith’s debut. “I’m like, ‘Alright, this is what needs to show up in stats sheet, this many sacks, this many pressures.’ Just go in there and if you do your job and you’re able to push the pocket and (Josh) Paschal gets one or Alim (McNeill), then we’ll know you did your job.
“I’ve said it all along, I’m looking for a complementary piece and somebody that’s going to be able to help our defense, that’s going to elevate us a little bit and I think that he’ll do that for us.”
As for Decker, who missed last week with a shoulder injury, he took part in Wednesday’s walkthrough and is trending toward returning Sunday vs. Jacksonville.
NO TREVOR LAWRENCE
Jacksonville quarterback Trevor Lawrence has been dealing with an injury to his non-throwing shoulder that will keep him out of the lineup Sunday against the Lions. Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson announced Wednesday that Mac Jones will start at quarterback against Detroit.
Jones started for the Jaguars in last week’s 12-7 loss to Minnesota. He was 14-of-22 passing for 111 yards with one rushing touchdown, two interceptions and a 38.3 passer rating. He also lost a fumble.
ST. BROWN ROLLING
Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown can become the fifth player since 2000 to record a touchdown reception in eight consecutive games within a season with one Sunday vs. Jacksonville.
He would join A.J. Green (nine consecutive games in 2012 with Cincinnati), Davante Adams (eight in 2020 with Green Bay), Antonio Brown (eight in 2018 with Pittsburgh) and T.J. Houshmandzadeh (eight in 2007 with Cincinnati).
