Getty Amani Oruwariye yells on the field during a Lions game in 2021.
The Detroit Lions have been seen as a dead team walking most of the season, and that only strengthens their resolve as it relates to finding a way to win and surprise the teams they play.
Down the stretch, the Lions have managed to play hard and that mindset has allowed the team to come up with a few surprised. The team managed to tie in Pittsburgh and has scored upset wins over NFC playoff contenders Minnesota and Arizona.
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As cornerback Amani Oruwariye said when speaking with the media on Monday, December 20, the mindset with the team right now is simply that of fighting no matter what. If the team isn’t going to be given a chance, just go out and play hard. Chris Burke of The Athletic tweeted about the comment.
Amani Oruwariye: “When your back’s against the wall and they don’t give you a chance anyway, what other choice do you have other than to just ball?”
“When your back’s against the wall and they don’t give you a chance anyway, what other choice do you have other than to just ball?,” Oruwariye said.
It’s not hard to see how that is a call to arms for the Lions down the stretch. The Lions want to see their team just keep plugging away and Oruwariye is a good example of that.
Oruwariye Becoming Lions’ Best Cornerback for 2021
From the first game of the season, the Lions were immediately under fire at the key position in the defensive backfield. In the first game, they lost top cornerback Jeff Okudah to a season-ending injury. Detroit would go on to lose a key rookie in Ifeatu Melifonwu in the second week of the year. As a result of this, the team has asked youngsters like Jerry Jacobs, AJ Parker and Bobby Price to step up. All of them have done an admirable job for the team thus far this year, but arguably, Oruwariye has been the best and most consistent player on the field for the team.
This past week, Oruwariye scored another huge play when he intercepted Kyler Murray with a diving pass. It was arguably the play of the year for the cornerback, who has made a habit of looking like a ball-hawk.
It has been fun to watch Oruwariye develop this season and make plays like this. There is no doubting how good he has become in a short amount of time.
Oruwariye’s Career Stats and Highlights
During the 2019 season as he started into the league, Oruwariye didn’t do much statistically for the team early on as he battled a knee injury most of the early part of the year, and as a result, his stats weren’t that robust. Oruwariye finished 2019 with 2 interceptions and 19 tackles for the Lions, but has been a player who has delivered before given his work in college. During the 2020 season on the field, he has 53 tackles, 1 interception and 7 passes defended, meaning he was easily able to eclipse his statistical work from last season, setting him on a good trajectory for the future.
While playing for Penn State, Oruwariye put up 108 tackles and 8 interceptions while scoring 1 touchdown. Obviously, the Lions have to hope that as he comes along, Oruwariye can manage to become the ball hawk he was for the Nittany Lions for years. Here’s a look at some highlights:
So far in Detroit, he’s shown an ability to step up and stick in coverage which is great news for the Lions. It only serves to prove how good Oruwariye has been consistently this season and how important he could be for the future.
He’s also got the right mindset.
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Amani Oruwarye Sends Message to Lions for Home Stretch: ‘Just Ball’