Fourth-and-5 in the Detroit 20-yard line. Aaron Rodgers looks to his right pre-snap and knows immediately where he's choosing the football. Nimble wide receiver Jordy Nelson is split out with linebacker DeAndre Levy sizing him as if he's playing man. Fast money. That 12-point Packers deficit is going to shrink to five points.

Nelson runs half the length towards the end zone menova and cuts towards the post. Levy changes directions with him. Safety Glover Quin arrives with help, despite the fact that seems like Nelson includes a step on both, the ball is underthrown. Turnover on downs. Lions win.

Storylines were aplenty: Rodgers' visible frustration, Detroit finally beating the Packers with defense, and the viral moment during the day: Lions MLB Stephen Tulloch tearing his ACL while celebrating a sack.

One question went unanswered: Why within the heck was some other linebacker covering Jordy Nelson on the biggest play of the game?

"That's the way in which it's drawn up," says Quin, who quickly conferred with Levy just before he squared up on Nelson. "We were referring to what technique he'd and how I would have help over top. But that wasn't miscommunication or perhaps a mistake. He is able to cover him.

"Actually, DeAndre covers better than lots of safeties."

To understand what Levy means to the Lions (especially now that Tulloch is out for the season), you need to appreciate the changing nature from the NFL linebacker. Almost every team still has an every-down inside linebacker who receives helmet audio instructions from the sideline, who stays on the field (barring injury) whether it's first-and-goal or third-and-long.

"Size is easily the most overrated thing," Levy says."This isn't the 1940's. We aren't managing a 46 defense. You don't have to be 260 pounds to stuff an opening."

That was once the case with your top outside linebacker too. In 2007, the top 16 4-3 outside linebackers, in terms of playing time, each played a minimum of 860 snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. Six seasons later, in 2013, the very best 16 OLBs played approximately 700 snaps each. In 2007, 37 outside linebackers (no matter base defense) were targeted in coverage by quarterbacks a minimum of 30 times. In 2013, that number sat at 21.

"The trend to visit more available on offense forced you need some linebackers who can play in space," says Lions defensive coordinator Teryl Austin, in the first season being an NFL coordinator after three seasons coaching Baltimore's defensive backs. "DeAndre is an every down linebacker for all of us, whereas lots of teams will put six DBs on the field and also have one playing linebacker. Fortunately we don't have to do that."

In the last decade, Austin says, teams began keeping an extra safety on the roster and either playing in dime rather than nickel or using a safety inside a linebacker spot during passing downs (meanwhile, quarterbacks are targeting inside linebackers at a higher clip; a minimum of 60 targets for the top 16 ILBs in 2013 vs. 50 in 2007).

"I think there are fewer three-down linebackers available than there were a few years ago," Austin says. "You have to get more athletic at this spot."
The outside linebacker as we know him is fading into football history, something similar to every-down running backs and midget cornerbacks before him. Instead of your traditional stand-up linebacker is a new prototype: DeAndre Levy. 6-2, 235 pounds, sub 4.5 40-yard dash. He doesn't shed blocks so much as he side-steps them, and he doesn't tackle a lot as he strikes. He's great for a missed tackle or two per game, and at least one game-changing play. Tellingly, the Lions have never asked Levy, now in his sixth season, to use weight.

"Change of direction, moving the hips, quick feet, moving efficiently: This is the way the positioning is played now," Levy says. "Size is the most overrated thing, even today. Guys be worried about getting how much they weigh up, however this isn't 1940's. We're not running a 46 defense. You don't have to be 260 pounds to stuff an opening."

Within the Monday night opener against the Giants, he trailed Larry Donnell, Big Blue's emerging young tight end, up the seam and created an absurd diving, juggling interception of Eli Manning. When the Giants recognized nickel personnel in the first half they attempted on several occasions to operate hurry-up and pound the ball. At each turn, PFF's top-rated outside linebacker against the run denied them.

"He's got a tremendous nose for the football," Austin says. "What it enables us to complete is to drop him in coverage and that we really don't worry too much about matchups, because we know he can cover and finished a play, like he did on Monday night."

Throughout the second quarter on Sunday, Levy browse the intentions of pulling guard T.J. Lang and blew by him to tackle Eddie Lacy for any safety. Levy compensated nicely for the glaring deficiencies of Tulloch's replacement, Tahir Whitehead (The Lions signed Josh Bynes from the Ravens practice squad to compete for Tulloch's spot).

"We possess a large amount of respect for him," Packers coach Mike McCarthy said of Levy on Sunday evening. "He's been playing very well for a number of years-- a hell of a football player."

On Sunday, Levy assumed play-calling duties in the meizitang soft gel injured Tulloch, wearing a back-up helmet fitted having a speaker. It was an unfamiliar role. Levy is definitely an oddball with a prospector's beard, a quiet nature as well as an uncommon zeal for travel. He's visited South American destinations and roughed it, making headlines last season as he told the Detroit News of hunting and eating frogs and rats in the Amazon.