Rookie guard Larry Warford credits Detroit Lions coaches, teammates for his fast start

larry-warford-blocking.jpgRookie Larry Warford (75) hasn't allowed any pressure in his first two games at right guard.  

ALLEN PARK -- Detroit Lions rookie guard Larry Warford looks like a completely different player than the one who was abused by Ndamukong Suh in training camp last month.

During the early stages of the offseason, Warford was struggling mentally, which was leading to physical mistakes. After closing out the preseason strong, he was awarded the starting job. He has rewarded the coaching staff's faith with two outstanding performances to start the regular season.

"We had him in the Senior Bowl and felt really comfortable with his ability to play early for us," offensive coordinator Scott Linehan said. "We didn't know (when), and didn't put a timetable on it, but his improvement from OTAs through the preseason was rock solid. We were able to put him in there, and so far, he's played pretty darn good."

Interior pass-rush pressure was a major issue last season. Starting guard Stephen Peterman was released in February after he struggled to keep defenders from getting to quarterback Matthew Stafford.

Through two games Warford is pitching a shutout. The rookie hasn't allowed any sacks, quarterback hits, or hurries.

"It's a credit to our coaches and our o-line here," he said. "They all help me to stay focused and gain confidence through the whole week. Without them, I don't know if I'd be a starter."

Typically, when a guard is playing well, their performance goes under the radar. The best sign is when nobody is talking about them. 

But recognition of Warford's success hasn't been limited to Detroit's locker room or in the local media. In their weekly Rookie of the Year watch, Pro Football Focus ranks Warford third.

"That's awesome," Warford said.

As long as Stafford stays upright and has time to make his throws, Lions fans will be saying the same thing.