Detroit Lions LB DeAndre Levy named NFC Defensive Player of the Month
ALLEN PARK -- After flying under the radar much of his first five seasons, Detroit Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy is finally getting the praise and accolades his play merits. On Thursday, he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month.
Levy had an outstanding first quarter of the season for the 3-1 Lions, recording 38 tackles (six for a loss), an interception, three pass defenses and a safety.
He was also named NFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 1, after racking up 10 stops and intercepting New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning.
Levy is the first Lions player to earn Defensive Player of the Month honors since Stephen Boyd in 1998 and just the second in the past 23 years.
Opposing coaches have certainly taken notice of Levy. Prior to last week's meeting with the New York Jets, Rex Ryan compared the Lions linebacker's impact to that of Luke Kuechly, the NFL's reigning defensive MVP.
"Oh man," Ryan said during a conference call with reporters. "Whew. This guy, and it's funny because I really never knew him and when you look at the fact that he's got seven interceptions, I'm like, 'What? Seven interceptions?' But that tells you a little bit about him.
"He's instinctive, he plays the run, he's got great timing. He's a heck of a football player when you stack him behind that defensive line of theirs. He's impressive, man. Really impressive."
Division rivals are more familiar with Levy, but even they've seen the steady improvements to his game.
"DeAndre has really made himself into a guy who is consistently considered for the Pro Bowl," Green Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers said earlier this year.
Despite recording 119 tackles and six interceptions last season, Levy was snubbed during Pro Bowl selections. Given his early-season play in 2014, and the increased awareness of his talents, that's unlikely to happen again this year if he can maintain his performance.
