Maybe he’s thinking too much.
Maybe he’s being asked to do too much.
Or maybe the game is still moving too fast and everything is just too complicated for a rookie with just a few games under his belt.
Aidan Hutchinson isn’t the main reason why the Detroit Lions have won just one game.
But he’s emblematic of what has gone wrong for the Lions’ defense.
He just hasn’t made many plays. Just like the rest of the defense.
Which is why coach Dan Campbell wants to simplify everything — for everybody.
To get them to play faster.
Hutchinson is working his tail off — you cannot question his effort. But he just hasn’t produced consistently.
Or maybe the Lions haven’t figured out how to unlock what he can do.
“I think he’s one of the players that I think we need to look long and hard about,” Campbell said. “Do we need to move him in some different spots? Do we need to see if we can give him an opportunity to have more success?”
The Lions are asking this rookie from Michigan to do a lot of things: Get to the quarterback. Crash down the line of scrimmage to stop the run. Sometimes rush the QB by taking a specific interior route so that it opens up a blitzer on the outside. Other times, rush wide.
While playing both the left and right sides.
And one time against Seattle, he even dropped back into coverage.
But most people just look at one thing: Did he mess up the quarterback?
On the surface, his stats look good. He has three sacks, which is tied for third in the NFL.
Dive a little deeper and the inconsistency begins to show.
WEEK 1 A WEAK ONE:Lions film review: Aidan Hutchinson’s debut a dud, but don’t be down on rookie
All three of those sacks came against Washington, and none of them came from simply winning a one-on-one battle. His sacks have been more opportunistic than a reflection of dominance — rewards for his effort more than anything. That’s not a knock. Just trying to be fair: Having a great motor is a great place to start.
One sack happened when linebacker Chris Board came on a blitz and forced Carson Wentz to step up in the pocket. His second sack came when Wentz was trying to avoid Charles Harris. And his third came on a stunt when he had a free path.
He’s winning one-on-one battles just 10% of the time, according to Pro Football Focus.
“Yeah, look, I think he’s come a long way,” Campbell said. “Every week, he’s getting a little bit better.”
Effective against the run
I went back and studied every one of Hutchinson’s snaps against Seattle.
And one thing became clear: It was like the Seahawks were just messing with him.
But he wasn’t alone.
Seattle was just foolin’ on the Lions’ defensive scheme, strategy and techniques.
Hutchinson was effective against the run, recording five tackles.
How? When the Seattle offensive line blocked down, Hutchinson flew down the line of scrimmage to search for the ball, crossing several gaps. It was when he looked the most comfortable: Make one simple read and go full tilt. One time, he threw a tight end aside and got to the running back, showing effort and tenacity in refusing to give up on a play.
It was impressive stuff. That’s the kind of thing you expect after watching him dominate at Michigan.
But Seattle countered that with ease.
The Seahawks showed the same blocking scheme, faked the run and then rolled toward Hutchinson’s side of the field.
It was a naked bootleg pass and Hutchinson was nowhere to be found.
It’s not his fault. He was following his rules, crashing down the line of scrimmage until he realized it was a pass.
It was a smart move by Seattle, using the Lions’ strategy against them and taking away an edge rusher without really blocking him.
So Seattle kept going to that play.
And that’s the kind of thing the New England Patriots will do Sunday if the Lions don’t change things up.
Running into a wall
Against Seattle, Hutchinson tried a speed rush several times, trying to beat the tackle around the edge. But he was simply blocked above the pocket, ridden out of harm’s way. It’s like Seattle blockers were using Hutchinson’s effort and desire against him, simply pushing him out of the play.
When he tried a spin move, there always seemed to be another Seattle blocker sitting there, waiting to double-team him.
In theory, that should open up an opportunity for somebody else.
But not with this team, because there are so few playmakers.
And all too often, Hutchinson was simply blocked without getting any pressure.
“Obviously, I’ve got very high expectations for myself and it’s been good but just keep working,” Hutchinson said.
Some of this is his youth — he’s just four games into an NFL career.
He’s going to learn tricks — how to set up a lineman instead of being toyed with.
And even how to conserve his energy for the right moment, instead of having to take himself out when he gets gassed.
What subtle changes could the Lions do?
Some believe Hutchinson would be more effective standing up, as he played at Michigan, rather than putting his hand to the turf.
“So look, we’re all open to whatever is most comfortable,” Campbell said. “Like if he feels like he can get his job done up, listen, no problem. So, I don’t feel like that’s an issue with him or that’s going to change anything, but we kind of take it all into account. If it’s something he feels like he’s more comfortable at, we’ll go with that.”
Playing faster
There were a few plays against Seattle that looked curious.
One time, he seemed to slow down at the snap, glancing at a tight end. Maybe he was expecting to get blocked. But it brought him to a standstill. Basically, he was taken out of the play without being touched.
Another time, he got out of his stance before a snap and motioned at a teammate.
Maybe the teammate was in the wrong place. Or maybe Hutchinson was confused.
Either way, that’s the kind of thing that messes everything up.
That’s the trust that Campbell is talking about.
“We’ve got to pull things way, way back, and just get our confidence back and gain some trust among teammates,” Campbell said. “And so, that’ll — that comes with scheme, that comes with personnel, and we’re going to work through it.”
In many ways, these are normal growing pains.
Few players walk into the NFL and dominate right away.
And his career will not be defined by four games. He can still turn into a dominant player.
“Just keep trucking along,” Hutchinson said. “You know, it’s a long season. Obviously, not the ideal start, but you know, this is the first quarter of the season done now. So, we’re gonna move on to the next quarter, and I keep pushing.”
More than anything, the Lions have to figure out a way to make him play faster. To get him to play the pass like he plays against the run, crashing down the line and, causing havoc.
Maybe the solution is to make everything simpler: Don’t think about technique while playing — just react.
Maybe the solution is to use him in different ways, or put him in different spots or reduce his responsibilities. But more than anything, it’s giving him one objective — the main reason he was taken in the first round: Go crush the quarterback.
Contact Jeff Seidel: jseidel@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @seideljeff. To read his recent columns, go to freep.com/sports/jeff-seidel