DETROIT -- Aidan Hutchinson and the Detroit Lions are playing at a high level, and they’re having some fun while building something special around these parts.
And with the football world watching on Monday Night Football, Hutchinson and the Lions had a little special Halloween celebration planned for the right moment. Luckily for them, they could have had their pick of the litter during the 26-14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders as the defense controlled the game.
So, when safety Kerby Joseph made a big-time interception in the end zone one play after the Lions turned the ball over, the defense and Hutchinson saw their opportunity.
Hutchinson sprinted to the front of the group in the end zone, then attempted to lead them in Michael Jackson’s infamous “Thriller” dance, perfectly fitting for a late-night game on Halloween Eve. Let’s just say, it’s the thought that counts.
“I did. I did,” Hutchinson said when asked who orchestrated the dance. “I sent the video to the boys yesterday. The full tutorial at my house. Yeah, I don’t know how it looked. I could see in my peripheral that we were so out of sync.
“I see all the boys in the end zone. I come sprinting over, I’m like the ringleader kinda like this, going, ‘five, six, seven, eight.’ But I don’t know what’s going on behind me, you know? But it was fun. That’s, when you’re playing good football, man. You just go out there and you have fun. Celebrate with your teammates. Yeah, it’s fun.”
Yeah, it’s the thought that counts. And for fans of HBO’s “Hard Knocks” from last season, it was a nice little homage to Hutchinson’s memorable performance of Michael Jackson’s “Billie Jean.”
Hutchinson and the defense made life hard for the Raiders and quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo all night long. “Hard” might be an understatement with NFL Next Gen Stats reporting the Lions posted the highest pressure rate by a defense since 2018. They pressured Garoppolo on 71.4% of his 21 dropback passes, notching six sacks along the way.
Hutchinson was second on the team with five pressures, remaining in the top three of the league in that department.
“I think we’re a fun team to watch,” Hutchinson said from the locker room. “And we show up when it matters. I think this team is going to be here for the long run.
“Got a game ball to AG. AG gave it to the corners. The boys balled out, so I mean, it’s really exciting what we got building here.”
Now, the Lions head into their bye week at 6-2 in control of the NFC North with an inside track at hosting playoff games at Ford Field. This is also a team that’s won five of their six games by double digits, not to mention winning all three chances in prime-time action.
And Hutchinson didn’t hide his feelings about wanting more of that, saying he hopes ESPN and the Monday night crew make coming to Detroit a normal aspect of the schedule.
“The fans reached another level tonight,” Hutchinson said. “I felt it. It was definitely the loudest game I’ve been in since being a Lion. Man, it was, I hope we get a Monday Night Football game every year.”