Detroit Lions offensive tackle Penei Sewell has stepped into a leadership role in his third season as a pro.
The Oregon product has established himself as a bookend of the offensive line, holding down the right tackle position alongside a talented group. Through eight games, he's Detroit's third-highest PFF-graded player with an 82.4 overall mark.
He has yet to allow a sack this season in 323 pass block snaps, per PFF, and holds a streak dating back to Week 10 of last year. Should he prevent the Chargers from notching one, his streak will have spanned an entire calendar year.
"I think it's just kind of getting more comfortable with the game. Year three, playing right tackle now," Sewell told the team's website. "Not having to focus on flipping my feet and trying to engage different types of muscles. Just being comfortable with that and also the game plan. Trying to lock into the snap count more and not just thinking, 'What do I do? How do I do it?' My mind's just slowing down."
Entering Sunday's game, the exact total is 625 pass blocks without allowing a single sack. In 2023, he has allowed just four pressures and has garnered a 98.6 pass blocking efficiency rating.
Through nine weeks, Sewell is the league's highest-graded right tackle by Pro Football Focus.
His talent has made an impression, but his steps as a leader this season have also had an impact amongst the Lions' locker room. He's gained his teammates' admiration during his first year as a captain.
This development has caught the eye of players and coaches alike, as he's gone from leading strictly by example to a player who delivers messages to his teammates.
"I think he's gotten, every year, more comfortable. As you grow and you're comfortable with, not only your own abilities, but where you fit in the team itself. They get a feel of you and you understand who they are," Campbell explained. "If you're a guy like him, your voice gets a little louder. You feel compelled to step up. The team named him (captain) and that's why. They voted him captain and you can see that's where he's grown. He is much more comfortable. He leads by the way that he plays but also by the words that he speaks too. He's kind of an energy guy for us. He brings attitude to what we are offensively. To me, collectively, you think of that O-line we've got with guys like him and then on the perimeter with guys like (Amon-Ra St. Brown), that's who we are. That's our attitude."
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