Breaking down the All-22 of new Lions defensive end Za’Darius Smith.
Finally, members of the Detroit Lions fanbase can close out those trade-generator tabs and rejoice—former Cleveland Browns defensive end Za’Darius Smith is in Detroit.
Originally selected in the 2015 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Ravens, Smith is a proven commodity in the league and still has plenty of juice left to his game. To get fans ready for what he is going to bring to the field once he dons the Honolulu Blue, I put together a film study from a few weeks ago when the Browns were able to knock off the Ravens at home.
Let’s jump into the All-22 and see how Smith was able to affect the game.
Power moves and heavy hands
When you watch Smith on tape, one thing that consistently pops off the screen is the power he generates off the edge. And one thing defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn is surely going to like is that Smith can work out of a two, three, or even four-point stance.
Here we have the Ravens working out of the shotgun, with Smith in a four-point stance on the right side of your screen. Look at how much pop he has in his hands when he extends and gets into the tackle’s chest. He also does a nice job of keeping his eyes on quarterback Lamar Jackson throughout the rep. More will come on how Smith seems to always have a rush-plan established later on.
Once again, Smith is pressing that outside shoulder of the tackle, making him think twice about whether or not Smith may try to bend the corner. Instead, Smith engages with both hands briefly, before transitioning to just his right arm. From there he is able to create separation between him and the blocker, forcing Jackson to try and bail out of the back of the pocket.
This is a great example of how sometimes sacks are very much a team statistic that gets credited to a single player. A player of Smith’s caliber helps elevate the entire defensive front with how he approaches the game.
And for our last example in this section, we have another instance of Smith’s hands looking like they have some dynamite packed in them. A quick two-handed jolt to the chest made it seem like the right tackle was momentarily on ice and trying to keep his feet. I doubt his production is going to be anything close to the insane track that Aidan Hutchinson was on prior to his injury, but make no mistake about it—Smith is a rusher that can win reps fast when he needs to.
Pass rush repertoire
If you have read any of my work before, then you know how much I enjoy when rushers have a rush-plan. Sure, going into a rep with an established idea of what you want to accomplish is great, but having responses ready to go for the offensive linemen is where rushers begin to take their game to the next level.
This was actually a really nice rep from Baltimore right tackle Roger Rosengarten. Good pass set, good initial punch, tries to reset his hands afterwards, and yet Smith still ends up sacking the quarterback.
Watch the swat-and-spin combo Smith lands after Rosengarten’s punch. You can tell he has his eyes on Jackson throughout the rep, too. Once he swats down the tackle’s hands and spins upfield, he knows Jackson should be right there.
While this isn’t technically a move that Smith uses to get after the quarterback, I still felt compelled to include it in the study. The Lions run a good amount of stunts and games under Aaron Glenn, so being able to execute them at this level is an added bonus.
The defensive tackle works outside towards the right tackle, and in doing so, momentarily grabs the eyes and attention of the right guard. And that is all Smith needs. No wasted steps or movement on the way to the quarterback. He runs tight to his teammate’s hip and is able to dip that shoulder right under the guard.
Thinking of Smith running games with the likes of Alim McNeill and Levi Onwuzurike has me pretty excited.
Three-down player
One thing most people have known about Smith since his arrival in the league is that he is a player that you don’t have to take off the field for any specific situations. We have shown how he can impact the game as a pass-rusher, but he is also a really strong run defender, too.
Nothing too flashy about this rep. Smith is working out of a two-point stance again, and is able to quickly recognize the play. This allows for him to take the proper angle and help corral wide receiver Zay Flowers for a short loss.
I love this next rep from Smith for a few reasons. The first is that defending a read-option with Lamar Jackson involved is probably one of the tougher things to do in all of football. It takes a ton of athleticism, experience, and patience. And on the play above, Smith shows off all three.
Initially he stays wide enough to not allow Jackson to get outside and break containment. Then he takes the right angle to get Jackson on the ground after he was able to break his teammate’s tackle.
Finally, you see Smith making an impact despite being a backside defender. Most tight ends are no match for his physical style of play, as Smith basically shrugs off the block attempt with a single shoulder. Detroit has been vulnerable to some cutback lanes as of late, and Smith will help remedy that.
