Bruce Irvin knew from experience with Raiders that Derek Carr would get "rattled"
The Lions are a young team. They recently added a veteran who helped make a difference on Sunday in New Orleans.
Bruce Irvin, 36, made his Detroit debut in Week 13. He had a sack. He had a big hit on Saints quarterback Derek Carr that ended his day. Irvin did it all in only 11 snaps.
After the Detroit win, Irvin spoke to PFT by phone.
"I woke up this morning, I felt like a kid before Christmas," Irvin said. "I was excited. Just trying to take full advantage of this opportunity, because [this] part of my career, you know, the opportunities are very limited. Just happy to be back, man, and being a part of a team again."
Sunday's game was only Irvin's third time in pads since January, when he played for the Seahawks in a postseason loss to the 49ers. He nevertheless wasn't surprised by his performance against the Saints.
"At this point of my career, this stuff is like riding a bike," Irvin said. "I've been doing it for so long. It'll come back. I'm just happy they didn’t rush me and try to get me out there as soon as I got here. They gave me time, let my body adjust, get in football shape. And, you know, it showed today."
Helping Irvin's effort was some inside information from the time he spent with the then-Oakland Raiders — and then-Raiders quarterback Derek Carr.
"I played with him in Oakland, so I know when you get around him, he gets rattled," Irvin said. "He's a hell of a player, but we knew if we got around him, we could rattle him a little bit."
Irvin's second-half hit on Carr ended his day, giving him a concussion and other injuries. Irvin wasn't trying to injure his former teammate, but Irvin said he expects to get a fine for his roughing-the-passer foul.
"I thought he had the ball," Irvin said. "The game is different now. They said I had to roll off to the side. I don't know how I'm gonna do that, but just something I guess I've got to focus on more."
He's also focusing on continuing to get himself fully up to speed. And he believes he can be even better than he was on Sunday.
"I'm still getting my feet up under me," Irvin said. "Getting my steps right, getting my angles, my approach right. Give me about two or three weeks and I'm gonna be flying even more."
It's a scary prospect for Detroit's upcoming opponents. And it's great news for a Lions defense that could use a little boost as the postseason approaches.
