Getty Everson Griffen celebrates a play in Minnesota.
The Detroit Lions have famously been dominated by tons of opponents through the years, but a select few have stood out as it relates to the NFC North division.
One such player was defensive end Julius Peppers. For years, Peppers was a terror off the edge, first with the Carolina Panthers, then with the Chicago Bears and finally, to add insult to injury, the Green Bay Packers. The Lions never had an answer for Peppers up front on the field either before or after he joined the division, and often he ran amok against the team to the tune of 16 career sacks, 8 forced fumbles and 3 fumble recoveries. It was the second highest total for any team Peppers ever played.
Lions fans thought they had seen the last of a Peppers style problem for a while until Everson Griffen came along. Griffen, like Peppers, showed a distinct knack for getting after the pocket in games against Detroit. Not stunningly, Griffen matched Peppers’ production against the team with 16 career sacks to this point in his career, making him literally the second coming of Peppers.
Everson Griffen had 16 sacks against the Lions in his career. By far the most he had against any team. Green Bay next at 11.5. Be nice to see him on our side of the line.
Lions fans likely dreamed of adding such a classic tormentor to their defense, but with the deal playing out on Tuesday, those dreams have finally become reality. Now, they don’t have to worry about matching up with Griffen anymore, but can instead plot how to unleash him on the opposition and hope he can turn the table on the likes of the Bears, Packers and Minnesota Vikings.
Why Everson Griffen Fits Lions
Detroit has needed a boost at pass rush for a while, and Griffen offers the team a veteran player who knows the division and likely will feel a huge bit of comfort with the team. The price was also a serious win for the Lions. While Griffen is a bit older at 32, he still offers the veteran upside the team craved without having to cough up a high draft pick. Being traded for a conditional 6th rounder in 2021 isn’t significant cost, and the deal has a chance of playing out as a major steal for the Lions if Griffen can find the comfort in Detroit that he never did in Dallas.
Given the division and the proximity to former teammates like Jayron Kearse and Adrian Peterson, it would be easy to see that being the case, making the move a huge steal for Detroit if it plays out this way and one of the smartest moves the team could have made this deadline season.
Everson Griffen’s Impact
Griffen, to this point in his career entering the 2020 season, has been one of the most dynamic players up front in the league with 355 tackles and 74.5 career sacks. He’s 32 years old, but has proven himself as a dynamic defender capable of wreaking havoc. Griffen’s sack total of 8 from 2019 would have been the highest on the entire Lions defense itself, showing how good he can be. He’s also been a perennial Pro Bowler.
This season with the Dallas Cowboys, Griffen hadn’t done much with just 2.5 sacks and 20 combined tackles, but he played for a team in Dallas that was struggling badly on the field. There’s no reason to think he couldn’t turn things around in a big way in a division he’s comfortable with and a situation he likes.
As explained, Griffen has always been a thorn in Detroit’s side. In his career, he has consistently exposed the Lions’ offensive line and that’s quite possibly why he might have made the most sense out of anyone the team could have traded for during the deadline.
Hopefully, the Lions have found their own Peppers to turn the tables on their rivals.
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