We’re going to be checking in on DeForest Buckner frequently for his Defensive Player of the Year campaign, and Sunday’s stop wasn’t the most desirable. Buckner only managed a single sack against what on paper should be an awful Detroit Lions defensive line. However, it’s not how you start this campaign trail, it’s how you finish. Show me the sack:
DeForest Buckner’s All-Pro season is in full force. #49ers pic.twitter.com/6eSMtvqcS7
— Ikaika Valeria (@ikaikavaleria) September 16, 2018
This thing of beauty puts Buckner at 3.5 sacks for the season. In 2017 alone, all of 2017, Buckner only got three of those. So this is progress. He’s going to need a lot more than one sack a game if he’s going to get that DPOY he desires, but maybe he won’t get left off lists as one of the best in the league. And with moves like this, the sacks will come.
That’s Defensive Player of the Year type moves. #49ers pic.twitter.com/4Wbdv9k5aP
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) September 16, 2018
Oh, but there’s more.
Now, on this campaign, sacks do matter, but there’s other little things to get Buckner the respect he rightly deserves. It’s not going to just be getting to an opposing team’s signal caller, but how he pulls a runner back. Roll it:
DeForest Buckner is going to be able to buy so much stuff in a few months. Houses. Boats. Fine leather goods. Whatever he wants. pic.twitter.com/twbLlrAcFB
— Dieter Kurtenbach (@dkurtenbach) September 16, 2018
If only the rest of his line could do this. To round out this post of DeForest Buckner gloss, we of course need to bring up his car jacking of LeGarrette Blount. Fooch already went into detail about this yesterday, but it’s worth showing again.
Buckner sending Blount airborne! pic.twitter.com/OVUdhUrUqf
— Akash Anavarathan (@akashanav) September 16, 2018
Ok, that last one isn’ t going to get Buckner much of anything, but it’s never going to get old watching. Especially when Blount got himself ejected out of frustration a while later. Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford took off down the sideline and Elijah Lee was happy to knock him out of bounds. Blount didn’t exactly like that and knocked Lee off his feet, getting tossed in the process.
The one concern is the Detroit Lions offensive line isn’t very good. At all. That said, Buckner has already gone above his sack total in 2017 and is making a strong case for All Pro. Maybe he doesn’t get the DPOY nod, but we’re not stopping this campaign until he gets the respect he deserves.