Detroit Lions defensive end Aidan Hutchinson was snubbed for NFC Defensive Player of the Week in Week 2, but on Thursday things were made right when he was named NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September.
In the days before the season opener, Lions defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn pulled no punches to set the bar high for Hutchinson in his third season.
"Listen, Hutch has had a tremendous offseason. He had a tremendous training camp. And now he’s at that point where he needs to set his sights at being, if not the best defensive player in this league then one of the best, which he is. But now it’s time for him to (make) himself the best player."
Hutchinson has answered that call, meeting his own expectations as well. Heading into the Lions' Week 5 bye, he is leading the league in sacks (6.5), with league-highs in quarterback pressures (40), hurries (27) and pass rush win rate (35.4 percent) according to Pro Football Focus. Next Gen Stats (26 pressures), ESPN (34 percent pass rush win rate), etc. are in the same vein, with Hutchinson at or near the top of the league in any pass rush metric you want.
Per Pro Football Focus, Hutchinson has 17 more pressures than anyone else so far this season. He didn't have a sack in Week 4 against the Seattle Seahawks, but PFF credited him with 15 pressures.
Aidan Hutchinson wins NFC Defensive Player of the Month for September
Hutchinson is the first Lion to win NFC Defensive Player of the Month since linebacker DeAndre Levy in September of 2014, and he's just the fourth Lion to ever win the award. He's also the first Lions' defensive lineman to win the award.
With his 4.5-sack game in Week 2 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Hutchinson became just the fourth player since sacks became an official stat in 1982 to have three sacks in a game in their first three seasons; joining Reggie White, Jevon Kearse and Justin Houston ( h/t to MLive).
Hutchinson is "on pace" to surpass the NFL single season record for sacks; 22.5 by Michael Strahan and T.J. Watt, and he's an early favorite for Defensive Player of the Year. No defensive player in the league had a better month than he did in September, so it was impossible to snub him for NFC Defensive Player of the Month.
