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Aidan Hutchinson sacks: DE falls just short of Detroit Lions single-game record vs. Bucs
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- Aidan Hutchinson sacks: DE falls just short of Detroit Lions single-game record vs. Bucs
Aidan Hutchinson had himself a day for the Detroit Lions , but fell just short of becoming the franchise's single-game record holder for sacks.
Right from the get-go, you could tell Hutchinson had his A-game against the Bucs when he forced a fumble on the first drive of the game.
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That was just the start. The Lions defensive end had three quick sacks in the first half while dominating the Bucs' offensive line, but was briefly slowed down when the Bucs started using extra players to try and stop him.
THIS COULD BE A LONG SEASON FOR O-LINES: Aidan Hutchinson's 4½ sacks gives him a good shot at breaking NFL's single-season record
When the two teams returned from halftime, Hutchinson picked up another sack his fourth of the game, which put him in elite company in franchise history, joining Willie Gay (5½) and Keith Ferguson (4) as the only players in franchise history with four sacks in a game.
But Hutch still wasn't done. With the Lions trailing 20-16, Baker Mayfield and the Bucs found themselves in third-and-long and with no one open, Mayfield was scrambling around before Hutchinson finally caught up to him with a relentless pursuit. The statisticians gave him a half-sack for his work, though it looked like he did a majority of the work, giving him 4½ sacks for the day and the second most in a game in Lions franchise history.
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Hutchinson's big day still wasn't enough to help the Lions beat the Bucs in a rematch of last year's NFC divisional round game at Ford Field, as some overall sloppiness and inability to convert in the red zone cost the Lions in the 20-16 loss in Week 2.
GAME STORY: Detroit Lions brutal mistakes cost them in 20-16 loss to Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Aidan Hutchinson college
Michigan defensive end Aidan Hutchinson (97) hugs linebacker David Ojabo (55) during warm up before the Ohio State game at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, Nov. 27, 2021.
The Lions drafted Hutchinson after a prolific career just down the road in Ann Arbor, where he was a Heisman finalist for the Michigan Wolverines.
Hutchinson was drafted No. 2 overall with the prototypical height and weight (6-7, 268 pounds) and made an immediate impact upon arriving in Detroit.
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Aidan Hutchinson stats
It didn't take long for Hutchinson to flash his knack for making big plays after arriving in Detroit.
In his rookie season, Hutchinson had 9½ sacks but also had an impressive three interceptions to go along with his sack production.
The ball didn't find Hutchinson's hands as frequently in his second year, but he did step up his production with 11½ sacks and 14 tackles for loss to go along with 33 quarterback hits, a major jump from the 15 he had a year before.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Aidan Hutchinson stats, sacks: Detroit Lions DE height weight info
