In 2015, Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah racked up 14.5 sacks. In 2016, he had only two. And while his output was diminished by an ankle injury suffered in Week Two, Ansah assumes responsibility for his performance.
“I take it personally,” Ansah said regarding his, and the team’s, lack of sacks a year ago, via the team’s official website. “I feel like I didn’t do my job. That is what I’m paid to do. So, like I said, I’m really focused this year and excited for what we have coming up and it’s definitely going to be better than last year.”
It can’t be much worse, unless Ansah has more injury trouble.
“I’m really focused this year, not really thinking about what happened last year,” Ansah said. “Every year when you come in you want to try and do better than what you did last year. I have a lot of catching up to do. It’s going to be a great year coming up.”
He needs a great year, because he wants a new contract. Whether he gets the contract he wants will depend on whether 2017 is more like 2016 or 2015 for Ansah.
If it’s more like 2015, the Lions could end up doing even better than they did in 2016, when they made it to the playoffs despite minimal contributions from Ansah.