Q&A: Za'Darius Smith Hoping Third Time Is Charm in Quest for Ring

The Detroit Lions' pass rush has been sparked by the presence of veteran edge rusher Za'Darius Smith.

Acquired at the trade deadline in a deal with the Cleveland Browns, Smith has provided a boost both on and off the field for a defense ravaged by injuries. Now, with the Lions' Divisional Round game against Washington set for Saturday, the veteran has his sights set on winning a ring.

Smith has twice been to the NFC Championship game, and his hope is that a third trip would be the charm in his quest for a Super Bowl ring.

Smith spoke to Lions OnSI Wednesday to preview the playoffs, discuss defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn's impact and much more.

Questions and answers have been lightly edited for length and clarity.

How excited are you for the first playoff game this Saturday?

Za'Darius Smith: “Man, I’m excited. Obviously it’s not my first time. Just ready, man. I played this team when I was in Cleveland. I already know how their o-line operates, everybody on their offense. Just can’t wait, man. Ready, excited.”

What benefits did the bye week have for you? How did you spend the three days off?

Smith: “Getting my body back right, man. S**t, 10 years in the game, bye week can help me in so many different ways. Got a chance to spend time with the family, man. Got some warm weather, so feel recharged, rejuvenated, man, and ready to go.”

Your team's goals at the beginning of the season were to win the NFC North and earn the NFC's No. 1 seed. How did it feel to accomplish those goals?

Smith: “Yeah, we did. Obviously I got here halfway through the season, but my motto and mindset was everything Dan (Campbell) was talking about. I’m just happy we got it done, and hopefully we can go 1-0 this week.”

Defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn spoke to reporters Wednesday about his desire to leave a positive impact on every player he interacts with. What impact has he had on you since you arrived in November?

Smith: “Put me in situations to be a good pass rusher. I started off good when I first came here, but we went through a lot of injuries, man. Now that we’re down a lot of guys, I’m one of the only pass rushers we have right now. Guys were double-teaming me, chipping me, trying everything they could because I had three sacks in four games. For A.G., man, the fact he called one of my old d coordinators to see, like, ‘What is he good at?’ That shows what type of coach he really is, dissecting the player and really trying to figure out, ‘What is this player good at doing to where I can capitalize on the field?’ It made the transition on the field — helped me affect the quarterback.”

Glenn took several head coaching interviews last week. Why do you think he would make a good head coach?

Smith: “I didn’t even know about that. That’s good for him. Obviously, he was a player in this league. And I feel like a lot of coaches need to be former players, cause they can understand the players and some of the things that we need and go throughout the week. Like how coach Dan is for us now. He played in this league, and he knows as a player, you don’t want to put a lot on your body. Especially not now, and also having a turf field, he knows the thing about the knees and how that s**t can be. Player’s coaches man. A lot of players can relate to the coach when he’s a coach that used to play, especially playing for a long time.”

MORE: Aaron Glenn Is More Than Defensive Coach, Wants to Leave Impact

What has he done to set you up for success as a player?

Smith: “Just creating matchups for me, one-on-one's. I’m a guy that can move around up front and can play every position. So just going throughout the week, man, seeing who I can win a matchup on or create one-on-one’s with. He does a good job of doing that, of bringing like an extra backer or something, so now they’ve got to go 5-0. It’s just throughout the week, man, seeing the type of stuff we like. If it’s something that we don’t like, then he’ll throw it out and come up with something else. I just like that. He’s more of a coach that — what we feel comfortable with running, we’re gonna run it.”

What are the keys to containing a mobile quarterback and preventing him from scrambling?

Smith: “Rushing as one up front as a D-line. Guys got to be in their gaps. Rush lanes. Knowing the protection, man, taking the slide when the protection comes to your side on the inside. And also level-rushing as an edge player. I feel like if we can all do that and chase the quarterback, we can continue to get after these guys. But you’ve got your guys like Lamar and Daniels that’s coming in, man. You’ve really just got to bring it to them, and that’s just being in your rush lanes.”

Are you excited to square off against a rookie quarterback?

Smith: “I mean, I don’t think about that. I just think about beating the guy in front of me. For me to get to the quarterback, I’ve got to know the guy in front of me and his weakness. It is what it is, I’m excited for him. I’ve sacked him before but for him now to be in a situation to help change that organization around and go to the playoffs is big, and I’m happy for him. But we’re gonna get after him this weekend.”

What would it mean to have a deep playoff run?

Smith: “It’s big. I can’t remember the last time I was in this situation, it was in Green Bay. We got to the last game before the Super Bowl, and that happened to me twice, back-to-back years. The first time you learn, the second time you get better. But the third time is the charm. So hopefully this third time is the one where I get a big ring on my finger. Get that Lombardi Trophy, yes sir.”