The Detroit Lions enter Sunday's game against the Vikings ranked No. 30 in the NFL in total defense -- 27th against the run, 30th vs. the pass.
Those numbers suggest that as much as the Vikings have struggled offensively the first two games, they should be able to move the ball against Detroit.
However, the Lions overhauled their defensive line this season and that group will be a tough challenge for the Vikings offensive line. The Lions rank second in the NFL with nine sacks -- and eight of those have come from their line.
Detroit has three new starters on the line -- DE Kyle Vanden Bosch, DT Ndamukong Suh and DT Corey Williams. All three arrived via different paths.
Vanden Bosch signed as a free agent, Suh was the No. 2 overall pick out of Nebraska and Williams came in a trade with Cleveland.
Without question, the leader of that group and the entire defense is Vanden Bosch, the former Tennessee Titan who signed a four-year, $26 million deal this offseason. I'll have more on Vanden Bosch and Vikings defensive end Jared Allen online and in the paper later, but nearly every conversation about the Lions in the locker room this week started with Vanden Bosch's impact on that team.
Coach Brad Childress referred to him as the “Tasmanian devil.” Brett Favre said he has perhaps the “highest motor in football.”
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