ALLEN PARK, Mich. -- For a brief moment, the potential returned, the Detroit Lions' rising star Ezekiel Ansah had been in 2015 reappeared on a big stage -- Monday Night Football against the New York Giants in the biggest media market in the country.

Ansah had three sacks. He consistently beat Ereck Flowers to reach Eli Manning. Ansah, who had struggled with injuries and production throughout the 2016 season, seemed to be back, but that return may have been a mirage.

The player Ansah was in prime time during Week 2, has failed to show up since. Almost half of his 14 tackles (six) and all but one of his sacks this year came against the Giants. Even the sack he was credited for against the Carolina Panthers likely should have gone to Akeem Spence.

With each passing game in which the defensive end goes without a sack or a big-time play, the memories of his Pro Bowl season and 14.5 sacks seem more like a different time. Yet, Ansah insists, he's still a similar player to his past.

"I'm the same person," said Ansah, who spoke for the first time in weeks Wednesday.

It's possible the skill is still there. The Lions have played six games this season and it's obvious Ansah has been playing hurt through most of them. He has not had a full practice all season. Most of the time, he's limited -- and it's unclear how much he's actually doing in workouts because all but individual drills are closed to the media. Leading into Week 4 and Week 6, he also sat out days of practice, presumably in an attempt to heal.

The 28-year-old said any injuries he may have are not an excuse for his play. He deemed his knee "good" Wednesday. Then he practiced, again, on a limited basis.

When asked to describe what he's going through, he deferred to Lions coach Jim Caldwell -- who is known for saying next to nothing when it comes to injuries. When a reporter told the coach on Wednesday that Ansah said Caldwell would be the best person to explain the injury he laughed.

"He's absolutely right," Caldwell added. "Check the report."

So it's unclear how much the knee has bothered him so far and whether he believes it'll continue to hamper him.

"I know you want me to comment on that in a way which is something that is printable material, but just give him time," Caldwell said. "Like I said, we just got started and he's a tough guy and does a nice job with what he does. Let's see where he ends up.

"This time of year, I don't think you make pronouncements in any sort of way, good or bad, because it's a long season and obviously we've got a stretch to go."

Caldwell refuted the thought that Ansah has struggled this year, again saying to look at the numbers at the end of the season. He also pointed to things Ansah does that aren't measured by statistics: how disruptive he is and how often his pressure leads to a tackle for loss or a sack of an opposing quarterback.

Caldwell didn't share exactly how productive he believes Ansah has been in those areas.

There is little question the consistency of his productivity has fallen off. In his best year, 2015, he had at least one sack in 11 games and had two multi-sack games. He also had three or more tackles in nine games.

A season like this one could be more in line with what Ansah is as a player – and his breakout season could have been an outlier. In 2013 and 2014, he had more games without at least a half-sack than he did with one. In 2014 and 2015, he had a tackle in every game. He already had one game this season -- Week 3 against Atlanta -- where he didn't make a single stop.

Ansah had little interest in talking about himself Wednesday, though. Most of his answers were framed in the concept of the Lions defense. Either that or he rebuffed the question entirely, like he did with almost every knee-related query. That includes being asked about potential offseason surgery, which he said hasn't been discussed.

It's maybe why he laughed for a second when asked how he felt now compared to 2015.

"It could always be better," Ansah said. "There's always room for improvement as a player."

For the Lions to make the playoffs for the third time in four seasons, Detroit needs Ansah to rediscover the player he once was and the one he believes can be again.