Detroit — The second pick got his third pick. The second-round pick got his first and second career sacks. And the sixth-rounder? He did something that no player in the history of the NFL has done before.
Overall, it was a pretty good day for Brad Holmes’ 2022 draft class.
The trio of Aidan Hutchinson, Josh Paschal and James Houston came alive in the Lions’ 41-10 win over the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on Sunday, leaving a trail of rookie records and “firsts” in their wake.
By tallying three sacks — including a strip-sack of Bears quarterback Justin Fields — Houston, who was selected with pick No. 216 out of Jackson State this past spring, became the first player in NFL history to total eight sacks in his first six games. With his second sack of the day, he and Hutchinson became the NFL’s first pair of rookie teammates to each have at least seven sacks in a season.
“I think that’s really special. Just having all us on that line, and we’re just growing,” Houston said. “We’re learning each other — every week, I feel like we keep getting better and learning what we can do and can’t do with each other.
“As the years go on, I feel like it’s just going to keep getting better and better and better.”
On the last play of the first half, Hutchinson set a record of his own. He intercepted Justin Fields for his third interception of the year, becoming the first rookie defensive lineman in NFL history to record three or more picks and the first defensive linemen to have three interceptions in a season since Richard Dent did it in 1990.
“It’s crazy. I’ve never touched the ball this much. Ball’s on the ground, ball’s in the air, I feel like I got a chance. It’s fun and it’s crazy to hear that stat, but I’m just out here doing my thing.
“Football is a very weird game. Some guys get some plays and they come to them, sometimes they don’t. This season, I’m having one of those years where everyone’s throwing the ball to me, so it’s fun.”
Paschal, taken 46th-overall out of Kentucky, achieved a significant mile marker when he sacked Fields in the second quarter of a four-point game — and it came at a time when it looked like Fields was prepped to give the Lions headaches all game long. With Paschal’s first sack, Detroit’s 2022 draft class tied a franchise record set in 1990 for most rookies (four) to achieve a sack in a single season.
In the fourth quarter, Paschal added his second — and two more Lions records in the process. Paschal and Houston became the first pair of Lions rookies ever to each have two sacks in a single game. Paschal’s second sack made him the third Lions rookie, alongside Hutchinson and Houston, to record a multi-sack game this season, which is also a new franchise record.
Houston was on Detroit’s practice squad through the first 11 weeks of the season, making his debut against the Buffalo Bills on Thanksgiving. Paschal, meanwhile, has missed eight games with various injuries. After the game, Houston said he was fired up about Paschal’s breakout performance.
“Exciting. Very exciting. The D-line, we love each other. We gonna love each other and we support each other and congratulate each other. So yeah, that was good, seeing … my rookie classmate come in and do the same thing,” Houston said.
“That’s why I say we’re just gonna keep going. Every year, we’re gonna keep getting better.”
nbianchi@detroitnews.com
Twitter: @nolanbianchi