Detroit Lions OL Colby Sorsdal got 'welcome' to NFL from pass rusher he grew up watching
After Jared Goff took the first of three knees to end Sunday's win over the Atlanta Falcons, Detroit Lions rookie Colby Sorsdal sidled up next to Falcons defensive end Bud Dupree.
"I told him I was like, 'I don’t mean to make you feel old, but I watched you growing up a little bit,'" Sorsdal said. "He gave me my first welcome to the NFL moment a little bit, but settled in from there."
A Pennsylvania native who was in high school when Dupree was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Sorsdal made his offensive debut Sunday, playing 36 emergency snaps at right tackle after the Lions lost Matt Nelson (ankle) and Dan Skipper (hamstring) to injury.
The experience wasn't all smooth. Dupree knocked Sorsdal on his butt with one third quarter pass rush on his way to hitting Lions quarterback Jared Goff.
JEFF SEIDEL: Join my early campaign: Brian Branch for (small sample) Rookie of the Year
But Sorsdal didn't allow a sack and walked away feeling good about a performance that could earn him more playing time in the near future.
"Obviously there’s always some stuff to clean up and I was going against some pretty good competition," Sorsdal said. "Just in terms of my tackle sets, they’re probably a little rusty so we’ll get in the film room (Monday), clean that stuff up, but I felt like it was awesome. It was awesome, just from my own personal experience and that’s a dream come true is playing on Sundays. That’s the big leagues so it was really cool."
A fifth-round pick out of William & Mary, Sorsdal started five seasons at right tackle for the Tribe but has played mostly guard in his five months with the Lions.
GAME BALLS AND GOATS: Brian Branch becoming a star; penalties hurting team
He practiced some at right tackle in training camp, and went into Sunday's game as the Lions' top interior backup on a line that was shorthanded because of injury.
Penei Sewell, the Lions' regular right tackle, started his second straight game at left tackle in place of Taylor Decker, and Graham Glasgow replaced the injured Halapoulivaati Vaitai at right guard.
Essentially the Lions' fourth-string right tackle, Sorsdal entered the game late in the second quarter, after Nelson was carted off the field with an ankle injury and Skipper, a game day elevation from the practice squad, felt a tug on his hamstring. Sorsdal played the final three offensive snaps of the second quarter and the entire second half.
"It’s a tough spot for Skip and then it’s definitely a tough spot for Colby after that having to play tackle," Goff said. "I don’t know how many reps he’s had at that, but he battled, man. He really battled. They both battled. I know Skip went out with the injury, but they both battled and I thought they did a good job."
SHAWN WINDSOR: Lions have a burgeoning star at tight end. But don't tell Sam LaPorta
Lions coach Dan Campbell said he was happy with the way Sorsdal "battled" at right tackle, and proud of his offensive line as a whole for navigating a tough injury situation.
The Lions tilted help Sorsdal's way much of the second half, and might need to accommodate the rookie in their game plan again Thursday when they face the Green Bay Packers on a short week at Lambeau Field
Vaitai is expected to miss his second straight game with a knee injury, and Decker's status is uncertain given that he hasn't practiced since injuring his ankle in the Lions' Sept. 7 win over the Kansas City Chiefs and the team does not have any live reps planned for practice this week.
"I played right tackle my whole college career so it was like riding a bike," Sorsdal said. "I think the angles change a little bit different at guard and tackle. I think I’ve told you it’s like a knife fight in a phone booth at guard, but you’re out in space at tackle. No, it was a cool adjustment and I was just happy to get out there and play."
Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Detroit Lions OL Colby Sorsdal: Emergency RT shot 'like riding a bike'
