Lions Insider

Coach Jim Schwartz called Louis Delmas the “soul” of the Lions defense when asked about his talented young safety after practice Tuesday.

It was a practice Delmas participated in, and looked good in, as he prepares to play his first game Saturday against the Saints since spraining his right MCL against the Packers on Thanksgiving.

It’s seemed only fitting that Schwartz would describe Delmas as soulful as the Lions prepare for a trip down to New Orleans for their first playoff game since 1999.

Aside from the obvious upgrade in athletic ability Delmas brings to the lineup, it’s that “soul” that Schwartz says the team has missed the most over the last five weeks.

“He brings personality and intensity,” Schwartz said. “Football is obviously very important to him, but he has fun playing it. He comes to work and it’s not a job to him.

“Football is in him. It’s what he likes to do and it shows in game day and it shows in practice. I think that (has a) contagious nature to it. There is an attitude to playing defense and Delmas has that.”

That certainly hasn’t been lost on the other 10 players on defense, who were all happy to see Delmas on the practice field at the beginning of a practice week that hasn't been scheduled here in 12 years.

“He’s definitely what we need,” linebacker Stephen Tulloch said Tuesday. “He brings a lot of energy to our defense. He’s flies around sideline-to-sideline and makes plays and the more playmakers you can have out there the better off you’ll be. It’s good to have him back.”

Corner Chris Houston was probably more happy than anyone to see No. 26 patrolling the secondary, Tuesday. Houston and Delmas are close friends on and off the field and Houston admitted that he's a better player when Delmas is on the field.

“He’s a fiery guy and with him out there on the field we communicate different than other safeties that are here right now,” Houston said. “This is my second year playing with him and we see things during the game and he’ll go ahead and tell you ‘go ahead and do that and I got you.’

“It’s definitely beyond the playbook (with Delmas). With his speed and his awareness, you can sit on a couple things and try to make more plays.”

The last time the Lions went down to New Orleans on Dec. 4 they were without Delmas, as well as Houston (knee) and defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (suspension).

“You know, there’s a lot of guys that we didn’t have,” Schwartz said. “There’s obviously no excuses there, but that’s just life in the NFL.”

Saints quarterback Drew Brees proceeded to drop 342 yards and three touchdowns on the Lions defense.

The way Brees and the Saints are playing on offense right now, and after watching the Packers carve up the secondary last week, I wonder how much of a difference Delmas can really make?

“We feel like if we would have been healthy the last game we played the Saints it wouldn’t have been like it was," Houston said. "That’s just how we feel."