Tag: Isaiah Buggs

Lions PFF Grades: Young core graded high in victory over Packers

The Detroit Lions relied on their young core to bring them home against the Green Bay Packers and PFF grades reflect the strong performances

Individuals are always looking for immediate success and instant gratification, so patience surrounding the Detroit Lions rebuild has come with some frustration and turmoil, considering how the last few weeks have gone. However, even though it was only one win, this one seemed different when the Lions defeated their division rival, the Green Bay Packers, to a tune of 15-9 with the help of one of their defensive performances in some time.

The most fulfilling part of the whole endeavor was seeing the young guns blooming right in front of our eyes. With how the team is built, the Lions have to rely on a slew of young players, and, at times, they make questionable mistakes, but with the right guidance and coaching, they perform admirably, and that was what was shown against the Packers. If they continue their trajectory, the sky is the limit for the Lions young core.

As such, this week’s PFF grades have many of their young players sitting right on top, assuring that what we saw was not just a mirage.

 

Lions DL coach Todd Wash explains the emergence of DT Isaiah Buggs

Wash said Buggs “is in a really good place right now mentally, and obviously physically. He’s playing well,”

One of the key stats in the Lions Week 2 win over the Commanders was how effectively the Detroit defensive front bottled up the Washington ground game. Commanders RBs managed just 37 yards on 17 carries and had 10 runs that gained less than two yards.

Lions defensive line coach Todd Wash was very pleased with the play of his interior line in the game. On Wednesday, Wash took time to single out tackle Isaiah Buggs for his standout play in the big win.

“When Buggs is on point he’s as good as there is in the league,” Wash told reporters. “We’re very fortunate that that’s where he’s at right now, and we continue to see him there. So, we’re really really excited with how he’s playing. He does a lot of good things inside.”

Buggs was a disappointment in Pittsburgh, a 2019 late-round draft pick that didn’t pan out for the Steelers. But he’s thrived since arriving in Detroit just before training camp, progressively earning more playing time and now staying on the field more than veteran Michael Brockers.

Wash explained why he believes Buggs is working out so well in Detroit.

“When you come to the Detroit Lions with the leadership of (GM) Brad (Holmes) and (head coach) Dan (Campbell), you know, if you’re a grown man and you act like a grown man, you’re going to be able to be a man,” Wash said. “That’s the way we treat it. And Buggs is in a really good place right now mentally, and obviously physically. He’s playing well,” Wash said.

[listicle id=81368]

[mm-video type=playlist id=01eqbx8sj47vkwrznr player_id=none image=https://lionswire.usatoday.com/wp-content/plugins/mm-video/images/playlist-icon.png]

Lions vs Commanders: Best and worst PFF grades from Week 2

Here are this week’s best and worst PFF Week 2 performers for the Detroit Lions against the Washington Commanders.

The Detroit Lions secured their first victory of the season against the Washington Commanders with the help of impressive performances in every facet of the field. The grit and fight that the players showed were nothing short of inspirational.

Amon-Ra St. Brown put on a clinic on offense setting NFL records left and right, turning in the Lions top playmaker. Hutchinson secured his first three sacks of his short NFL career so far, while Rodriguez continues to impress for a sixth-round rookie. The coaches are designing and scheming to allow their players to succeed, especially when injuries wreaked havoc on certain areas. Still, they overcame as a team and walked away as the victors.

Here are this week’s best and worst PFF performers for the Lions in Week 2.

Lions vs Eagles: Studs and Duds for Week 1

Here are Lions Studs and Duds for the Detroit Lions season opener loss to the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35.

The Detroit Lions put up a fighting mantra and clawed to stay in the game, but they fell into a deficit too far to climb out of, losing Week 1 to the Philadelphia Eagles 38-35 to start the season 0-1.

The Lions had plenty of heart in front of a sold-out crowd and fought to the very end, but through mistimed mistakes and defensive faults, it was too much for them to overcome to bring home the victory. Even though it was a vast improvement from last year, where they fell to the Eagles 44-6, they left too much on the field that could have turned the tide in the Lions favor.

Here are a few studs on duds for the Lions in their matchup against the Eagles.

Former Alabama DL Isaiah Buggs signs with Detroit Lions

The former Alabama defensive lineman has signed with the Detroit Lions ahead of the 2022 NFL season.

Former Alabama defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs has signed with the Detroit Lions, according to a report by Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Buggs later confirmed the reports on his Instagram. Previously, Buggs spent time with both the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Las Vegas Raiders.

Buggs came to Alabama via the junior college route after he spent two seasons at Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College in Perkinston, Mississippi. During the two years he spent with the Bulldogs, he recorded 134 tackles, 7.5 sacks, and 18 tackles for loss. As a result of his stellar performance, he received interest from numerous big-time programs.

USC, Florida State, LSU and Oklahoma offered the Louisiana native. However, it was Coach Saban came out on top to land Buggs. It is safe to say it worked out for both parties.

In the two seasons that he spent in Tuscaloosa, Buggs tallied 103 tackles, 17.5 tackles for loss and 11 sacks. As a senior, he received second-team All-American honors by the AFCA, as well as being selected as a member of the All-SEC second team.

His hard work paid off in 2019 when he was drafted in the sixth round by the Steelers. From there, he would go on to serve as backup and be coached by former Alabama defensive line coach Karl Dunbar. Throughout his three-year professional career, he has totaled 31 tackles and two tackles for loss.

In January of this year, the Steelers waived Buggs and he signed with the Raiders practice squad soon after. Now, he is a member of the Lions organization. It will be the third team that he has played for in his young NFL career.

Roll Tide Wire will continue to follow Buggs’ career as well as other former Alabama players in the NFL.

[mm-video type=video id=01g8c201tsqd2rq1xmft playlist_id=01eqbz6mkdd99nyvkm player_id=01eqbvp13nn1gy6hd4 image=https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/video/thumbnail/mmplus/01g8c201tsqd2rq1xmft/01g8c201tsqd2rq1xmft-98090a61c4af3208041fc5656a52a55d.jpg]

[lawrence-related id=53299]

[lawrence-related id=53375]

[lawrence-related id=53301]

Lions sign free agent DT Isaiah Buggs

Lions sign free agent DT Isaiah Buggs and officially announce John Penisini’s retirement

There will be another defensive tackle in the Detroit Lions training camp mix. The Lions announced they have signed free agent Isaiah Buggs to a contract.

Terms of the deal with Buggs are undisclosed. Buggs, 25, was a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 2019 NFL draft. He played in 29 games in three seasons in Pittsburgh, logging 31 total tackles. Buggs played collegiately at Alabama and also had a brief stint earlier this offseason with the Las Vegas Raiders.

The Lions also made John Penisini’s retirement official by placing him on the reserve/retired list. Penisini himself announced his retirement in June.

 

Former Steelers DE gets workout with Atlanta Falcons

The Steelers former DE is hoping for a new lease on NFL life with the Falcons.

Per the NFL transaction wire, former Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Isaiah Buggs is hoping for a new opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons.

The Falcons have needs along the defensive line where Buggs could possibly be a fit. In three seasons (29 games, seven starts) with the Steelers, Buggs produced 31 tackles (two tackles for loss) and one quarterback hit.

Pittsburgh’s former sixth-round draft pick out of Alabama signed a four-year rookie contract in 2019 but was waived in January after dealing with a season-long ankle injury.

Buggs was signed to the Las Vegas Raiders practice squad three days after his release but was not retained.

[vertical-gallery id=518635]

[listicle id=518584]

Alabama football countdown: 49 days until kickoff

We are only 49 days from Alabama football kicking off its season. With the cancelled USC game, we’re just not sure who the opponent with be.

Alabama’s opening week game against the USC Trojans at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, has been cancelled after the Pac-12 announced its teams would play a conference-only schedule in 2020.

Yes, that was unfortunate news, and, yes, that means the Crimson Tide is looking for a new opponent to open its season on Sept. 5, but, as of right now, that is still the target date to open the season. Until that changes, we’ll continue the countdown to kickoff.

With it now being July 18, we are officially 49 days away from the start!

Julian Lowenstein, a sophomore walk-on linebacker out of Sarasota (Fla.), is the player currently wearing the No. 49 for Alabama. Before Lowenstein, it was former defensive lineman Isaiah Buggs, who after two successful seasons in Tuscaloosa ended up being a sixth-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Isaiah Buggs
Dec 8, 2019; Glendale, AZ, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers defensive end Isaiah Buggs (96) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports

2020 Alabama football schedule

  • Sept. 5 vs. OPEN*
  • Sept. 12 vs. Georgia State (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Sept. 19 vs. Georgia (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Sept. 26 vs. Kent State (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 3 at Ole Miss (Oxford, Miss.)
  • Oct. 10 at Arkansas (Fayetteville, Ark.)
  • Oct. 17 vs. Mississippi State (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Oct. 24 at Tennessee (Knoxville, Tenn.)
  • Nov. 7 at LSU (Baton Rouge, La.)
  • No. 14 vs. UT-Martin (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 21 vs. Texas A&M (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)
  • Nov. 28 vs. Auburn (Tuscaloosa, Ala.)

Stay tuned for more updates from Roll Tide Wire, part of the USA TODAY Sports College Wire network!

[lawrence-auto-related count=3]

Which 2nd-year Steeler will have the best season on defense?

Cast your vote to tell us who you think will have the best season of the sophomore players on defense.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have four defensive players heading into their sophomore seasons who can potentially have a big impact in 2020: Linebackers Devin Bush and Ulysees Gilbert, tackle Isaiah Buggs, and cornerback Justin Layne.

It’s easy to look at this list and choose Devin Bush. After all, as a rookie, Bush managed 109 tackles, 9 tackles for a loss, 2 interceptions, 4 pass defenses, 1 forced fumble, 4 fumble recoveries, and a defensive touchdown.

But I think serious consideration needs to be given to Gilbert. A back injury abruptly ended a promising rookie season, but what flashes he showed in the preseason and on special teams in 2019 was enough to give the Steelers confidence in his abilities as a defensive weapon.

Not only did the Steelers release Mark Barron and let Tyler Matakevich walk in free agency, but the team also did not address those vacancies in the NFL draft.

With Bush and Vince Williams in the fold, it’s likely Gilbert will be nothing more than a rotational LB. But Barron saw double the snaps that Williams did last season, and it’s likely the Steelers will expect Gilbert to step in have a similar impact.

[polldaddy poll=10560198]

Cast your vote and tell us!

[vertical-gallery id=467864]

[lawrence-related id=467887]