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Sack Lunch: Examining the Special Traits of Nick Fairley
By Jon Ledyard -- Inside the Pylon
Every Wednesday at noon EST, Jon Ledyard will be releasing a new installment that we are calling Sack Lunch. Each article will take a look at a particularly impressive pass-rushing performance from the past weekend’s games, highlighting techniques, moves, or athletic traits that brought each player success. In the first installment, Jon looks at the special traits of Nick Fairley, highlighting a sack against the Houston Texans.
When rookie Sheldon Rankins went down with a broken fibula this past week, Saints fans were once again forced to envision their much-maligned defense without a game-changing presence in the middle. Rankins, my 7th overall player in the draft, was drafted to give this Saints team an every-down presence who had the skill set to be dynamic against the run and the pass, something the team has been missing for several seasons now. With the Louisville product sidelined at least six weeks, the Saints are once again in the unenviable position of needing help on the interior defensive line.
However, a forgotten playmaker still exists on their roster in the form of former Lions and Rams defensive tackle Nick Fairley. Injuries, attitude / effort issues, and inconsistency have marred the talented defender’s up-and-down career, but when Fairley is locked in and focused on football, few can match his combination of explosive athleticism and eye-popping power.
MORE -- Inside the Pylon