Dave Birkett

Detroit Free Press

Some people collect classic cars, others appreciate fine art.

Rex Ryan's weakness is good defensive players, and the New York Jets coach might have found a new Mona Lisa while watching film of Lions linebacker DeAndre Levy this week.

"Oh man," Ryan gushed when asked about Levy during a conference call with reporters Wednesday. "Whew. This guy, and it's funny because I really never knew him and when you look at the fact that he's got seven interceptions (since last year), I'm like, 'What? Seven interceptions?' But that tells you a little bit about him.

"He's instinctive, he plays the run, he's got great timing, he's a heck of a football player when you stack him behind that defensive line of theirs. He's impressive, man. Really impressive."

Widely regarded as one of the best defensive minds in football, Ryan is like a lot of people across the NFL — just now realizing how good Levy is.

Under the radar playing outside linebacker in a mediocre defense (and because of his own injury problems) his first four NFL seasons, Levy had a breakout six-interception season last year and has followed that up with three dominant games so far this fall in the Lions' 2-1 start.

He had 10 tackles, two for loss, and made a diving, juggling interception off a deflected pass en route to NFC defensive player of the week honors in a Week 1 win over the New York Giants.

In Week 2, he matched Carolina all-pro Luke Kuechly almost play for play in a 24-7 Panthers win; Ryan said Levy is "in the same breath" as Kuechly when it comes to the game's best 4-3 linebackers.

And last week, Levy had 10 more stops in a 19-7 win over the Green Bay Packers, made the game's biggest play when he tackled Eddie Lacy for a safety one play after a Matthew Stafford interception, and did it all while making defensive calls on-field for the first time after Stephen Tulloch left in the first quarter with a season-ending knee injury.

"He's as good as I've been around the NFL," said Lions linebackers coach Bill Sheridan, in his 10th NFL season and with his fourth team. "We had Lavonte David in Tampa, who I think's an excellent player. We had Antonio Pierce in New York, who I thought was a fantastic player. We had Karlos Dansby in Miami. All Pro Bowl-caliber players, and he's every bit as good as those guys."

Levy, a stout run defender who is often left to roam free playing weak-side linebacker behind the Lions' dominant defensive front, distinguishes himself from that group and others as maybe the best coverage linebacker in the league.

Ryan put Levy on par with former Chicago Bears standout Wilber Marshall in that area, and Sheridan said Levy is so good on tight ends, running backs and occasionally receivers that the Lions have never considered going to the dime personnel that many teams favor in obvious passing situations.

"Listen, we have put him on Jordy Nelson and he blanketed him almost," linebacker Ashlee Palmer said. "Not to take anything away from Jordy, but Levy is by far one of the best cover linebackers in the NFL. He studies it. He studies guys he's going to be covering and he gets to know them as well as the defense that we're going to be running that week."

To be fair, when Levy covered Nelson last week, it was mostly as an underneath defender in two-deep zone coverage. But Levy was a key part of a concerted effort by the Lions to keep the ball out of Nelson's hands, an effort that worked as Nelson finished with just five catches for 59 yards.

"It never spooks us (when he covers a receiver)," Sheridan said. "It's never like, 'Oh my God, we got to make sure to keep him out of that situation,' because he can run just as good as most of the DBs."

As phenomenal as his interception of Eli Manning was, and Levy set that turnover up by slipping a block to throw Jerrel Jernigan for a 2-yard loss on an end-around the play before, Levy's signature play this season was his safety on Lacy last week.

With Green Bay pinned at its 1-yard line and in need of some goal-line breathing room, the Packers called a simple run by Lacy off right tackle.

Aaron Rodgers handed Lacy the ball 4 yards deep in the end zone. Left end Jason Jones destroyed his blocker at the snap, forcing the run inside. And Levy shot a gap left open behind pulling guard T.J. Lang to meet Lacy before his feet could hit the ground.

The Lions took a 9-7 lead on the play, and Green Bay never regained momentum.

"His instincts is something like none other," Jones said. "He's a linebacker with corner speed and the intelligence of a quarterback … And to tell you the truth, I didn't hear really too much about him until I came here."

That popular refrain won't be en vogue much longer as Levy draws more and more accolades for his play, though those who know him best say the man who climbs mountains and camps in the Amazon in the off-season is hardly motivated by upping his public profile.

Beginning today, with Tulloch out against a Jets team that ranks second in the NFL in rushing offense, Levy will take on a more prominent role as the elder statesman of the Lions' linebacking corps.

Tahir Whitehead will make his first career start at middle linebacker, deposed starter Palmer takes Whitehead's spot on the outside, and Sheridan said Levy is ready to expand his game.

"Losing Tully, that's a hit for us," Sheridan said. "He's a quality NFL starter and been for years, so I just think from an intangible standpoint, I think there'll be a little more pressure on Lev to really play well. We can't afford to have him — he's one of our best guys, so if he has a subpar performance that's going to hurt our defense. And he hasn't had one yet. He's played well every week."

Contact Dave Birkett: dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.