The Detroit Lions’ Thanksgiving loss to the Green Bay Packers may have inspired some awkward conversations around the dinner table. The loss dropped the Lions to 7-5 on the season and on the brink of missing the playoffs, but a point that may have raised blood pressure faster than a bowl of gravy is the play of defensive tackle Alim McNeil.
Fans have been patient with McNeil since he made his return from a torn ACL suffered one year ago. While he returned sooner than expected in October, he made a minimal impact on the stat sheet, logging 11 total tackles with no tackles for loss or sacks in his first six games back.
With the lack of statistical success, it’s easy to point at McNeil and call for Tyleik Williams to be more involved or cut his snaps altogether. But the stats don’t tell the entire story, as McNeil is becoming a consistent force in a pass rush that desperately needs a boost.
Alim McNeill Has Been Better Than It Seems Since Returning to Lions
Williams may not have the sack numbers to prove it, but he was the Lions’ best pass-rusher on the field in Thursday’s loss to the Packers.
Entering Monday’s finale between the New York Giants and New England Patriots, no interior defender had more than McNeil’s seven quarterback pressures, and only Joseph Ossai of the Cincinnati Bengals and Myles Garrett of the Cleveland Browns had more pressures (8) than McNeil did, according to Pro Football Focus. McNeil’s presence also helped the Lions as a whole, pressuring Jordan Love on 42.4% of his dropbacks, the fifth-highest rate among qualifying passers in Week 13.
Of course, Lions fans would ask if McNeil was so good, why wasn’t he able to get to the quarterback? Aidan Hutchinson, who also had a quiet game with three pressures, offered up a valid explanation, citing the ability of Love to make plays even when under pressure.
“Jordan does a good job…he really drifts in the pocket a little bit back, and he kind of just throws it off his back foot and he’s really accurate when he does that,” Hutchinson said via Eazy of Woodward Sports. “But that gives him a lot of time, being so far back, you know? I know me and Alim were there, but it’s just like…it was tough. …I’d say he probably drifts more than anybody, you know, just getting a lot of depth, he likes to just see everything in front of him, you know, and he’s got the arm talent for it. Just sit back there and get real deep.”
Even if you view Hutchinson’s analysis as an excuse, the fact that McNeil was in Love’s face throughout the afternoon was a good sign. Former Lion T.J. Lang noted on X that McNeil “didn’t light up the stat sheet but was the best player on the field” against the Packers, and it was a continuation of his play the previous week against the New York Giants.
In that game, McNeil played on the edge, helping the Lions bottle up Giants lead back Tyrone Tracy for 3.1 yards per carry on 20 carries. He also played a key part in the victory, creating pressure up the middle that forced Jameis Winston to step into Hutchinson for the game-winning sack in overtime.
Perhaps the most important thing to note is that McNeil only has six games under his belt after a major knee injury. With each week, McNeill could round back into his previous form, deflect any concerns, and help the Lions make a late push toward the playoffs.