Despite Sack Drought, Aidan Hutchinson Is Focused on Bigger Goals
Detroit Lions EDGE rusher Aidan Hutchinson is among a group of young defensive linemen seeking to meet their own expectations and team-based ones, too.
After a stellar rookie season that saw the former No. 2 overall pick record 9.5 sacks, three interceptions, two fumble recoveries and 52 tackles, the expectations for his sophomore campaign were astronomical.
Heading into Week 10, Hutchinson has not recorded a sack in the past three games.
Through eight games, he has only tallied 4.5 sacks, in fact.
A deeper look into his production sees a player that is tops in the league at pressuring the quarterback (42 total QB pressures).
Detroit's pass rush as a whole has been challenging to evaluate, as a plethora of the team's sack totals and pressures have occurred in the span of three games against teams with non-mobile quarterbacks.
The elite pass rushers in the NFL typically do not experience sack droughts, despite being double-teamed or having opposing offensive linemen use every trick in the book, including blatant holding, to derail their efforts.
Detroit's coaching staff is not overly concerned regarding Hutchinson's sack totals, as the former Wolverines defender is constantly messaging the staff and his position coach regarding his ideas.
Also, the staff is attempting to shift Hutchinson all over the defensive line, in attempt to exploit any matchup advantages that could arise.
Lions defensive line coach John Scott Jr. explained prior to practice Tuesday, “I think with Hutch, the way he works and prepares, it’s gonna continue to come. I know what you guys are saying, it’s been three games. But, you go and look at the tape, how many times has he affected the quarterback? How many times has he drawn a holding call or taken two guys allowing somebody else to go get a sack? I get that things are measured in numbers, but when you really look at the tape as a coach or in the coach's eyes and you see the impact that he’s having, whether it’s taking two or three guys or them isolating, focusing on him and allowing someone else to win a one-on-one, I think when you look at that, that’s there on tape.
"It’s just a matter of time before it’s, boom, here he goes again. So, you just keep working at it, man," Scott Jr. continued. "That’s the status quo, but it’s the truth, though. You continue to work at it, and you stay diligent with your technique and who you are and it always works out. That’s his mentality, that’s his attitude, you’re not gonna find a guy that works any harder at it or that puts the time in. This guy’s texting late at night saying, ‘Hey, coach, I can do this, I like this matchup.' You’re not gonna find anybody else that’s gonna put more time in it or work at it than he will.”
Hutchinson expressed to reporters after practice that early in his career, his sacks have come in bunches.
"It's just sacks come in bunches, and all my sacks always come in bunches. So, I'm not worried. I'm confident in what I can do, and I know when you keep rushing, they come."
Hutchinson is aware of the focus on his sack total. However, with bigger goals on the horizon, including an opportunity at a playoff berth, the goal is to peak at just the right time.
"It's hard because as a player you understand how much the media and how much others love stats and stuff like that," said Hutchinson. "But, my goal every game is just to rush as good as I can, win my one-on-ones and everything like that.
"I feel like as long as you control the controllables and you focus on on that, that's always been my mentality my entire career. And, the sacks come when they come. And, if you try to start forcing sacks or if you -- I'm happy for everyone, everyone getting production. And, as long as we're getting wins, I'm looking at the playoffs, man. I'm looking at that run. That's when I feel like it's the most important to be great, especially as a defensive line."
