ALLEN PARK, Mich. (USA Today) -- If the Detroit Lions are going to win their first playoff game in 23 years, they'll have to do so without their best defensive player.
The NFL suspended defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh one game Monday for intentionally stepping on quarterback Aaron Rodgers' leg in Sunday's regular season-ending 30-20 loss to the Green Bay Packers.
Suh's suspension is a huge blow to the Lions' No. 2-ranked defense, and could spell the end of his tumultuous career in Detroit.
In his letter to Suh, NFL vice president of football operations Merton Hanks noted, "You did not respond in the manner of someone who had lost his balance and accidentally contacted another player who was lying on the ground. This illegal contact, specifically the second step and push off with your left foot, clearly could have been avoided." Hanks further noted "you unnecessarily stepped on your opponent's unprotected leg as he lay on the ground unable to protect himself."
A free agent after the season, Suh will miss Sunday's wild-card game against the Dallas Cowboys. Detroit must now try to stop the NFL's leading rusher, DeMarco Murray, without their top two defensive tackles. (Nick Fairley, who's missed eight straight games with a sprained knee, is not yet ready to return from his injury.)
Suh is expected to appeal his suspension, and as was the case last week with center Dominic Raiola, the NFL will hold an expedited hearing on Tuesday.
Lions coach Jim Caldwell staunchly defended Suh for the incident in his postgame comments Sunday before he saw a replay of the incident.
On Monday, after Caldwell had time to view the play, he declined to give his personal opinion of it.
"Personal views don't matter in this particular case," Caldwell said. "I think that the league will take a look at it and see what they think is within line and go from there. But I think it was obviously one of those situations that they'll have to rule on."
Last week, Raiola was suspended one game for jumping on the ankle of Chicago Bears defensive tackle Ego Ferguson.
The NFL cited Raiola's history of player-safety violations in handing out its discipline — Raiola has been fined five times for player-safety violations since 2010 — and Suh's more extensive history factored into Monday's decision.
