Getty Lions offensive lineman Matt Nelson blocks Khalil Mack in Chicago.
The Detroit Lions could have had a major crisis situation play out as they were tangling with the Chicago Bears on Sunday, but little known Matt Nelson came to the rescue.
Who is Nelson exactly? Only a converted defensive lineman that now plays offensive tackle. Nelson entered the game when the Lions lost Tyrell Crosby to injury. He played right tackle in an emergency setting during the game and impressed in a big way, keeping Khalil Mack completely off the stat sheet.
As a result of this performance, Nelson received some major love from Good Morning Football and his name was suddenly very much on the radar when casual fans could likely have not even realized he was on the team prior to Sunday’s game.
Some love for @m_nelson96 from @PSchrags on @GMFB this morning.
Stepping up at right tackle, Nelson and the @Lions offensive line helped the offense to 460 total yards and 34 points Sunday. The last time Detroit scored at least 34 points in Chicago was 1983.
Khalil Mack did not register a single stat in the game today. Nothing. He was being blocked by Lions reserve Tackle Matt Nelson who played defensive line two years ago.
Detroit’s offensive line has struggled forever, but it’s nice to see someone like Nelson start to play hard and come into his own in a new role. As many have pointed out, this simply proves the great job Hank Fraley has done within Detroit’s offensive line the last few seasons.
Nelson stepped up against all odds in a situation not many would have expected him to excel in, which was a testament to his own preparation as well as the team’s coaching.
Matt Nelson Biography
Coming from Iowa, Nelson was a starter along the team’s defensive line. He was pretty solid statistically, putting up 111 tackles, 12 tackles for loss, 9 sacks, 9 pass break-ups, and 1 forced fumble. Considering his 6-8 size, He had the frame to be a success in the NFL somewhere, and the Lions picked him up as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and began transitioning him to the offensive side of the ball. He bulked up a bit and as played a key role for the Lions’ practice squad at times before being elevated to the roster.
Obviously, Nelson’s claim to fame will now be wiping out one of the best pass rushers in the NFL when nobody thought he was capable of the feat. As making a case to stick on the roster goes, this was a pretty good statement by Nelson. It’s possible he could stick as a swing tackle for the future in Detroit with more good tape such as this.
Romeo Okwara Outplaying Bears Best Pass Rushers
Detroit has struggled with a pass rush this season, but one player has done the work of nearly the entire team in Romeo Okwara. The defensive end has 5 sacks on the year and made the critical strip in crunch time that helped set up Detroit’s huge win over Chicago. Perhaps better than that, Okwara has statistically outplayed both Mack and big money pass rusher Robert Quinn this offseason.
Romeo Okwara, who came into the league as an undrafted free agent and was claimed by the Lions on waivers, now has 1/2 sack more for the season than Khalil Mack and six more sacks than Robert Quinn.
Mack didn’t look good against Matt Nelson, but interestingly, he hasn’t looked great most of the season for the Bears. Once a feared rusher, it could be clear that Mack is taking a few steps back as he continues to play out a huge contract in Chicago.
Being limited by someone with a small track record like Nelson will likely be a significant blow to his ego.
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