Nick Fairley has lost a few pounds and gotten his swagger back, so I’ll chalk these comment up to successful optimism.
The Lions defeated a depleted Vikings team 17-3 on Sunday with a defense that was physically dominant, an able to carry an offense that was without Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush.
After racking up eight sacks, and forcing three turnovers as a unit, Fairley believes “the Detroit defense can be the best ever.”
“We can be great,” Fairley said as reporters gathered around his locker after the game. “We can be great, but we’re not there yet.”
Great?
“Great,” Fairley said. “We can be the best ever, in my eyes.”
The Lions are tied atop the NFC North with the Green Bay Packers and playing at a high level. They are far from the best defense ever, and could finish the season pretty good or great.
You can’t fault Fairley for feeling confident.