What can we expect from The Kong's rookie year?

Now it would be easy to just throw out some insane numbers of what people should expect from Ndamakong Suh. 1900 sacks, 35,000 tackles, 1 bajillion QB pressures...

But let's be realistic here. Gauging the play of a defensive tackle by statistics is very misleading. The number of times a player was double or triple teamed at the line doesn't exactly show up in the box scores. And make no mistake about it, Suh will pretty much never see a snap where he isn't hit by at least two people.

So, if we can't look at direct numbers in regards to The Kong, how will we know what kind of effect he's having on the team? How much is he contributing?

The best way will be to look at the overall team statistics. If Kong is getting double and triple teamed, then players like Vanden Bosch and Avril better be cashing in on pressures and sacks. The Lions were 29th last year in team sacks with only 26 and they ranked 31st the year before. If Kong is making a difference that should show up in the teams sack total, look for the Lions to jump up to the mid teens.

Added pressure should also lead to more interceptions. The Lions have were 30th in the league, getting only nine interceptions all year, but, sadly, that was an "improvement" over the 0-16 year where the Lions ranked dead last and nabbed a pitiful four picks. Again, if the D-line is getting pressure and hurrying quarterbacks, that total should jump significantly. Look for the ranking to be somewhere in the high teens.

Furthermore, with added hurries, sacks and interceptions, the Lions should fare much better in third down efficiency. Last year the Lions ranked 25th overall in getting off the field after third down, giving up 40.5%--up from 29th in 2008 when they allowed 45% of opponent third down conversions.

If you are looking for definite numbers to attach directly to Suh one has to be practical. A good DT, Kevin Williams for example, made the pro bowl last season with 30 total tackles and six sacks. If Suh can beat those numbers, he'll definitely be making a big difference.