Aidan Hutchinson set a Detroit Lions rookie record with three sacks in Sunday’s win over the Washington Commanders, but the way his position coach sees it, Hutchinson’s performance could have been much better.
“When he was in position to make the plays he did, for the most part,” Lions defensive line coach Todd Wash said Wednesday. “I still think he left about two or three sacks out there, and that’s kind of a big thing we’re talking to him (about) is you’ve got to make the plays that you are capable of making and it would have really been an impressive game if he’d have done that.”
Hutchinson’s sacks of Commanders quarterback Carson Wentz came in part thanks to good pressures by his teammates.
INJURY REPORT:Lions DL John Cominsky to thumb surgery: ‘He’s a tough SOB’
FILM REVIEW:Blocking from the wideouts: ‘When I see a WR dump someone, that’s always pretty cool’
Hutchinson’s first sack came on Washington’s first offensive series, when blitzing linebacker Chris Board forced Wentz to step up in the pocket. Wentz ducked out of Julian Okwara’s grasp before Hutchinson hauled him down at the line of scrimmage.
Hutchinson’s second sack came early in the second quarter, when Wentz drifted into his arms while trying to avoid Charles Harris. And his third sack came just before halftime, when John Cominsky occupied two blockers in the middle of Washington’s line, giving a stunting Hutchinson a clear path to the quarterback.
But Hutchinson also missed a first quarter sack when he beat tight end John Bates with a bull rush only to have Wentz slip outside the pocket and throw the ball away as well as a fourth quarter sack when Wentz scrambled for a first down on third-and-4 on Washington’s final touchdown drive.
In the Lions’ Week 1 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, Hutchinson, the No. 2 pick in the draft, also had a couple near-miss pass rushes on mobile Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts.
“A lot of it in this game that we played, he had opportunities in the first game to make some plays and we were a little out of control,” Wash said. “I think before that first drive, he was out of character. We had a couple things that he didn’t do exactly like he should and I think that’s just the first-game jitters, playing at home.”
A WEAK WEEK 1:Aidan Hutchinson’s debut a dud, but don’t be down on rookie
Hutchinson did not practice Wednesday, leaving his status for the Lions’ first road game of the season, Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings, uncertain.
Lions coach Dan Campbell said Monday that Hutchinson suffered a charley horse in the game, and Wash said Wednesday the injury happened when he got “kneed in the thigh” on the goal line.
“But like I told him, he come over, he was limping, I said, ‘Listen, that’s a long ways away from your heart. We got a lot of game left,'” Wash said.
Swift, Jackson sit
Running back D’Andre Swift sat out practice Wednesday to rest the sprained ankle he suffered against the Eagles. Swift missed two days of practice and took part sparingly in a third last week, but still had 87 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown against the Commanders.
“He’s doing better,” Campbell said. “Certainly a lot better than he was at this time last week, so that’s a positive.”
Left guard Jonah Jackson remains out of practice with the finger injury he suffered last week, but center Frank Ragnow (toe) and cornerback Amani Oruwariye (back) returned after missing the Commanders game.