LACY'S IMPACT
Tyler Lacy played 19 defensive snaps in Baltimore Week 3 and saw that increase to 27 last week against the Browns. He had a tackle and a quarterback hit against the Browns, but it's his versatility that's making an impact on Detroit's defense.
"Oh, he's been tremendous," Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard said of Lacy. "He's growing on me every week. And he's getting more and more every week. It's just the big body at first when he walked in here. You see this huge man, you think oh, he's a defensive tackle.
"And then you kind of start to see him in individual move around, and I started to ask him, 'Have you ever played D-end?' And at first, he looked at me and was like, 'What? No. What do you mean D-end?' And I'm like, 'Oh, just a thought.' And then the next week I went up to him again, 'How would you feel if I told you I needed you to play the five?' 'Good, coach.' And at that point, I don't think he cared what I asked."
Lacy is getting a second chance to have an impact after playing his first two seasons in Jacksonville. He's played nose tackle, three technique and some big end for the Lions over the last two weeks as a versatile player in Sheppard's defensive front.
"I just like to bring that ability to the team and bring that Swiss Army Knife ability," Lacy said Thursday. "They can just throw me in on defensive line and I can just go."