The Detroit Lions are looking to turn their fortunes around from 2012, when they won just four games despite wide receiver Calvin Johnson breaking the all time record for receiving yards in a season.
Part of the reason for Detroit's struggles were over-the-top aggression issues that manifested themselves in the form of costly penalties. The Lions managed a victory against the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday, but defensive leader Ndamukong Suh apparently hasn't learned his lesson.
An interception touchdown by DeAndre Levy was called back after Suh threw a nasty block on Viking's offensive lineman John Sullivan's legs. Sullivan left the game but was able to return to action.
Suh was flagged, and will almost certainly be fined. It is unclear whether any suspension is being considered, but Suh's reputation won't do him any favors in the deliberation. He has been fined on multiple occasions for late or illegal hits, and was thrown out of a Thanksgiving game for a particularly egregious stomp on the arm of a Green Bay Packers offensive lineman.
Suh maintains that he wasn't trying to injure Sullivan on the play, just make a block to help his team score a touchdown. "On that particular play, I'm looking to make a block," Suh said. "I'm just throwing to make a block, and really cut him off so he doesn't get a chance to get home. I spoke to him. We're good," Suh said. "It wasn't intended, by any means. I wasn't going for his knee, and he knows that. We had a great conversation about it at halftime, and he understood. My aim point was his waist, to cut him off."
Vikings defensive end Jared Allen wasn't buying Suh's explanation, however. "[Y]ou can't take a dude's legs out from behind on an interception when he's running down the field," Allen said. "To me, there's just no room for that. It's just, it's sad to see because I got to know him a little bit and he's really a decent dude. He plays hard, I like his style of play, but if you end a guy's career like that? It's just uncalled for."
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