Lions’ Hutchinson fights through illness, delivers two sacks, draws victory-saving flag

Detroit — Between each answer at his postgame press conference, Aidan Hutchinson couldn’t hide his sniffles. A bug has been hitting the Detroit Lions defensive line for a month, even sidelining John Cominsky for the season finale. It just happened to bite Hutchinson Saturday morning, a day before the franchise’s first home playoff game in thirty years.

“I woke up yesterday with a little something and endurance was cut a little bit today,” Hutchinson said. “But we’ll be good in a couple days. I just told Romeo (Okwara), ‘Be ready. Every three or four plays, I might need a sub.’ But this moment was way bigger than everything.”

That’s the thing about Hutchinson, he typically has to be dragged off the field. He logged more than 90% of the team’s defensive snaps this season, reaffirming his reputation as a rare iron man at his position. But even if he wasn’t feeling himself against the Los Angeles Rams, he carried his hot streak from the end of the regular season, sacking quarterback Matthew Stafford twice and adding three quarterback hits.

“Like I told you guys, I heat up late in the season,” Hutchinson said. “It’s playoff time. I’ve been waiting for my opportunity in the playoffs and I just want to make the most of every (chance) I get.”

Hist biggest play doesn’t even show up in the stat sheet. With the Rams in field-goal range for a potential go-ahead field goal in the closing minutes, Hutchinson shot off the left edge of the defensive formation and forced the Rams right tackle to drag him to the ground, drawing a flag for holding that pushed the Rams out of kicker Brett Maher’s range. A pass breakup on the next snap resulted in a punt and gave the Lions a chance to run out the clock.

“I was going for the strip-sack, but I just missed it,” Hutchinson said. “I think I could have gotten it. That would have probably closed the game out. Next time, I just gotta get that ball out.”

jdrogers@detroitnews.com

@Justin_Rogers