Isaiah Buggs: When Lions Gel, 'We're Unstoppable'
Detroit Lions defensive tackle Isaiah Buggs' eyes lit up when he saw teammate Ifeatu Melifonwu jar the football loose from Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson.
The third-year defensive tackle saw the ball hit the Ford Field turf, and wasted no time picking it up. His recovery and subsequent 33-yard return ended a Denver drive deep in Detroit territory, and helped change the tide of what was a 42-17 victory for his Lions.
"The first thing I said (was), 'Oh s**t, it's a fumble. I've gotta get it,'" Buggs told reporters after the game. "So, when I got it, man, I just seen green grass, and I took it and ran with it. I was trying to score, I couldn't score. It was just a blessing, man, overall feeling, man. And being able to give my mom that ball, right there, that means a lot. That means a lot, man."
It's been a bit of a tumultuous season for Buggs, who has seen his playing time fluctuate in 2023. After being a key rotational piece for the defensive line last season, Saturday marked just the eighth time he's been active this year.
The veteran has stayed the course, and always appears ready when his number is called. In his appearances, Buggs has recorded 12 tackles, including two for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery.
With an injury to defensive tackle Alim McNeill opening up playing time, Buggs has been part of a rotation also featuring Levi Onwuzurike and Brodric Martin on the interior.
"I play D-line, man. D-line does all the gritty work, the hard-nosed work," Buggs explained. "Don't always get noticed, but the people inside the building notice it. Just gotta continue to ball and be team players and execute the gameplan when it comes."
Detroit's defense has been the target of criticism throughout the season, as it has struggled in recent weeks. However, the unit put forth an impressive performance against a Denver team that came in winners of six of its last seven games.
"That's what it's all about, man. Once we click and gel like that, we're unstoppable. That's what we've been practicing on all week, really since Week 1," Buggs stated. "Just gelling together and making the plays when it comes to us, being in the right spot, technique, fundamentally sound and we made that happen tonight."
The win can be a stepping stone for the Lions, which are now one win away from clinching the NFC North division title. After losing two of their previous three games, the Lions made a resounding statement in Saturday's win.
"Most definitely," Buggs explained. "Like Dan said, the Broncos are one of the hottest teams in the NFL right now, and to be able to come out on fire against a team like that, against a great quarterback, it was amazing. We can't just live right here though, we've got to keep stacking, keep stacking, man, and try to win this division."
