Most people in Indianapolis are talking about the Giants and the Patriots this week, but Warren Sapp has a few bones to pick with the Lions.
The NFL Network analyst unloaded on defensive coordinator Gunter Cunningham and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh during an interview on Tuesday. He slammed Cunningham for his failure to adjust during games as well as his unwillingness to play Suh and Nick Fairley at the same time on the defensive line this season.
“And then rotating Suh and Nick Fairley behind each other where now you only have to deal with one at a time,” Sapp said, via Anwar Richardson of MLive.com. Then at the end of the game when you’re getting the (explicative) beat out of you, you want to put it out there to see what it looks like? Really? You never tried this in practice? Been there all week long and never tried it? It’s not like you’re hitting and banging. You didn’t have no pads on. I mean, put them out there. It ain’t like you’re going to wear them out. Give me a break.”
Suh took flak from Sapp for his lack of development in his second NFL season. He said Suh never came up with a way to beat people when he couldn’t simply overpower them, something that Sapp believes became more difficult after Suh had shoulder surgery in the offseason. Sapp’s slam included a hint that Suh’s endorsements got in the way of his focus on the game.
“You got to look at yourself and say where can I get better. I knew I needed to get better at my strength and my conditioning and then my pass rush. I went into the offseason and worked on nothing but my pass rush, speed and run and just go at. You got to grind at the job. This is your profession. There’s nothing else. Subway will work around your schedule, I guarantee you.”