A Film Review Of Ziggy Ansah’s Dominating Performance Over The Giants In Week Two.
Ziggy Ansah Bullies Giants’ Ereck Flowers
Erick Flowers has really struggled through the early portion of his career. He has been slow to diagnose fronts, slow to fire off the ball, and typically displays poor technique against elite defenders, like Lions defensive end Ziggy Ansah was in 2015.
Ansah suffered a high ankle sprain in 2016 that limited him to three sacks. However, after Ziggy also missed all of Lions training camp to start this season, questions about Ansah’s ability to stay healthy and return to that elite level of play began to arise.
Fortunately, Ziggy was set up to have a hot start to the 2017 season. He took advantage of the matchup he had against Flowers and showed that his 2016 injury is behind him with elite play.
Ansah >>>>>>>>>>>> Flowers
— Erik Schlitt (@erikschlitt) September 19, 2017
Ansah’s Speed Is Proof He Is Healthy
One of the major reasons Ziggy Ansah has been able to put up elite production at times in his career has been largely due to his athletic gifts. At 6’5, 270 lbs, Ansah was able to run a freakishly fast 4.63 40-yard dash time at his rookie combine. That speed is important for Ansah because that is what allows him to play at an elite level because he is able to convert his speed into power. That ability make his bull rush so much more effective because how much force his body is able to generate.
With the bull-rush move being Ansah’s primary pass rush technique, it is likely his lack of speed due to injury was the main reason for his low sack totals in 2016. But, in his matchup against Flowers, it is clear his speed is back.
Ansah used his speed to earn all three of his sacks against the Giants. For his first sack of the game, Ziggy explodes off the line and uses his bull-rush to drive his opponent back five yards directly into quarterback Eli Manning for the sack.
He also utilizes the bull rush again on his second sack of the game. This time the rush stalls out after Flowers is driven back three yards. But before Flowers can brings his hands up to try to slow down the defender, Ziggy has already blown by him for the sack.
On the elite defenders’ final sack, he shows he can also win with just speed and technique. As Ansah drives quickly up-field he extends his inside arm into the offensive lineman’s chest, getting Flower’s off-balance. Ziggy then slaps away the exterior hand followed by a club technique as he bends around the edge for a strip sack.
Grades and stats from the Lions win over the Giants on MNFhttps://t.co/8fCXZ4XLpi pic.twitter.com/U3TR7o0B0a
— PFF (@PFF) September 19, 2017
Ziggy with his 3rd sack of the game. Looks like that knee feels just fine. #DETvsNYG
— Tim Twentyman (@ttwentyman) September 19, 2017
Safe to say Ziggy is back, yeah?
— Kent Lee Platte (@MathBomb) September 19, 2017
Not only did Ansah showcase his ability to produce at an elite level again. But he also showed that is largely due to being healthy. And with this health, expect Ansah to reclaim his status as an elite edge defender in the National Football League.
Chat with Zac on Twitter and on our Lions Subreddit!
