Wednesday, November 24, 2004
The Detroit star will have his eyes on Indianapolis' Peyton Manning in today's game.
ALLEN PARK, Mich. (AP) -- Shaun Rogers is in the backfield as often as some running backs.
Whether teams dare to block Detroit's star defensive tackle with one player or follow the trend of double-teaming him, he often rips through offensive lines with a rare combination of size, speed, strength and nimble footwork.
Not much about the Lions has been consistently good this season, but the 6-foot-4, 345-pound Rogers has emerged as one of the NFL's most dominant players.
"I think Shaun Rogers is the best defensive lineman in the game, not just the best defensive tackle," Lions CEO Matt Millen said Tuesday. "Some might be stronger, quicker or bigger, but nobody has his combination of all those things in addition to being as smart as he is."
The reeling Lions (4-6) are expected to be handled easily by the high-scoring Indianapolis Colts (7-3) at home today, but a national television audience probably will notice Rogers making his share of plays.
Manning notices
When Colts quarterback Peyton Manning started preparing for the game, he kept noticing No. 92 causing problems for Detroit's opponents.
"He really jumps out on film," Manning said. "He's a real difference-maker on that defense. The offensive line is going to have to account for him."
Dallas coach Bill Parcells said few are as big and disruptive as Rogers.
"Last year for Carolina, Kris Jenkins was a little bit like that, but I don't even think to the extent that Rogers is," Parcells said earlier this season.
Indianapolis coach Tony Dungy, who coached some of the game's best defensive tackles -- Warren Sapp and John Randle -- when he was in Tampa Bay and Minnesota, said Rogers reminds him of a former Seattle star.
"He's a lot like Cortez Kennedy and some of the bigger, more powerful guys that have really wreaked some havoc in the NFL," Dungy said. "I haven't been fortunate enough to have any of those big massive guys. He's a load in there."
Rogers was honored and humbled when the compliments were relayed to him, but Detroit's four-game losing streak doesn't allow him to celebrate anything these days.
"It's bittersweet," he said. "As a competitor, you want to dominant the man -- or men -- across from you and you want to be noticed around the league for it. But you play this game to win and right now, we're not winning."
Rogers, a Pro Bowl alternate last season, has 46 tackles and 4 1/2 sacks this season, his fourth in the NFL. He also has broken up four passes, recovered a fumble and blocked the fifth field goal of his career.
'Leading vote-getter'
"He's having a heck of a year, his best year," Lions coach Steve Mariucci said. "He's the leading vote-getter for the Pro Bowl at his position."
When Rogers doesn't make a tackle, he often ties up a lineman or two, allowing teammates to roam free to make the play.
"People don't understand that unless they really know football," Detroit defensive tackle Dan Wilkinson said. "This is my 11th year in the league and he's definitely one of the best I've seen at our position."
Rogers' fantastic season probably will lead to a very lucrative contract.
Detroit probably will have to at least match the deal Carolina gave Jenkins during the 2003 season. The Panthers signed Jenkins -- sidelined this season with a shoulder injury -- to a five-year, $31 million contract extension that included a $9 million signing bonus.
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