Lions defensive tackle Nick Fairley made one of the NFL’s best defensive plays this week when he burst through the line and destroyed Chicago’s Matt Forte in the backfield to blow up the Bears’ two-point conversion attempt in the final minute of a big Detroit victory.
Now Lions coach Jim Schwartz is hoping he can see plays like that from Fairley more consistently.
No one doubts that Fairley, the Lions’ 2011 first-round draft pick, has great talent for the defensive tackle position. But Schwartz said Fairley needs to be a more consistent, every-down player.
“He still has been inconsistent,” Schwartz said. “He played very well in spurts. I think that was encouraging, but there has also been some inconsistency. I think that’s been one of the things that he’s been working on throughout the course of this season.”
On that two-point conversion attempt, Fairley credited his film study for putting him in the right place at the right time.
“Just watching film throughout the week and watching some of their tendencies,” Fairley said. “I read my keys real good and made a play.”
Now the Lions want Fairley to make those plays consistently.
