Paper is a wonderful product. Just ask Michael Scott.
On paper we can jot names of players down, analyze them on a flat surface and come to conclusions about a football team before a game is played.
New Miami Dolphins defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh did such a study on his own team this week:
"I don't have a problem saying this, but I think personally we have more talent than we had in the No. 1 defense last year in Detroit," Suh said Wednesday, via the Miami Herald.
The Lions actually ended up No. 2 in total defense last year behind the Seattle Seahawks, but let's not get nitpicky with trivial facts, right?
Suh was quick to clarify his declaration was only an interpretation of the names on paper.
"One of the reasons I came here, is this team, and especially this defense, has great, great talent," Suh said. "It's a matter of us putting it together. We don't play on paper. We don't get to go against Atlanta (Saturday) or Washington Redskins that first game and say, 'Hey, this is our paper, this is our talent, here's your talent. We win because on paper we look a little bit better than you."
Suh left a dominant front that included first round picks Nick Fairley and Ziggy Ansah. Stud linebacker DeAndre Levy behind him cleaned up all messes. The Lions also boasted one of the top safety duos in the NFL last season.
In Miami, Suh joins an impressive front four with Cameron Wake and Olivier Vernon. Corner Brent Grimes and safety Reshad Jones are dynamic on the back end. Questions at linebacker and who will pair with Jones with Louis Delmas out loom as the regular season approaches.
"You don't know what's going to happen until guys come together, understand what they're going to do, and we create a camaraderie, create an understanding of how everybody works together as a unit and go from there," he said. "Every year is different. The year before, look at Detroit, we were 7-9 (and then) 11-6. Things change."
Things change. People change. Zip codes change. Jerseys change. But Suh still plans on being part of one of the most dominant defenses in the NFL, on paper and on the field.
