Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh has taken a lot of criticism lately, but Lions defensive coordinator Gunther Cunningham won’t pile on.
Cunningham says he’s not going to defend the action that led to Suh’s two-game suspension, but he’s also not going to condemn Suh as a person.
“Well, I can’t defend it,” Cunningham told the Detroit Free Press. “I’m sure that the organization’s in charge of that. I coach him, and I love him, and I’ll never change on that. He’s a great man, and I appreciate the ability I have to coach him.”
While Suh is out, Cunningham said, the Lions’ defense will be counting on rookie Nick Fairley to have an impact.
“He’s getting better every day,” Cunningham said of Fairley. “He can run. You look at him, he’s 317 pounds and he runs down the field like a linebacker. And you can see he’s coming on. His personality is really upbeat right now, and he knows what he’s got to do and he’s excited about it.”
With their best interior pass rusher suspended, the Lions are going to need Fairley to get pressure on Drew Brees when the Lions play the Saints on Sunday night.