In his Detroit Lions debut, 36-year-old veteran Bruce Irvin delivered the much-needed pass rush the team was seeking heading into Week 13.
Irvin recorded a sack, tackle for loss and quarterback hit in the 33-28 Lions victory against the New Orleans Saints.
When speaking to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio, Irvin expressed that he wasn’t shocked that his impact had the desired effect against Saints quarterback Derek Carr.
“He said he knows from playing with Derek Carr when the Raiders were in Oakland for three years, if you get around him, he gets rattled,” Florio reported on NBC after speaking to Irvin.
The veteran defensive lineman did more than rattle Carr.
He knocked Carr out of the game during the fourth quarter on a play that resulted in a 15-yard personal foul penalty.
“We saw the big hit on Carr. That was also from Irvin,” Florio said.
“He is expecting a fine. He knows he can’t put his bodyweight on the quarterback.
And for Carr, he’s got a concussion, back injury, shoulder injury.”
With Irvin in the Lions lineup for the first time, Detroit had just its second game with multiple sacks since the beginning of November.
The Lions defensive line also had other negative plays and routinely had pressure on Carr even when he released the ball before a sack.
Against the Saints, the Lions defense had 7 tackles for loss and 7 quarterback hits.
That pressure helped cause Carr to commit 2 giveaways — an interception and fumble.
After the victory, third-year defensive lineman Alim McNeill spoke about what Irvin contributed to the Detroit defense.
“That’s what he added, 10 years of experience,” McNeill said, via The Detroit Free Press’ Dave Birkett.
“That’s exactly what he added. He looked like a master out there.
Bruce looks like Bruce Irvin still. You wouldn’t think he was that old, honestly. You would think Bruce had just came into the league the way he moves.”
Irvin turned 36 on November 1.
Lions head coach Dan Campbell liked what Irvin added as well, calling it “encouraging.”
“Felt like he was able to pressure the quarterback,” Campbell told reporters in his postgame press conference.
“He was able to get an edge a couple times and certainly there’s something there.”
