Defensive Line All-Stars: Breaking down Week 2's standouts

It was another fun week of NFL football as defenses did their best to stop the many explosive weapons permeating the league.

And from controlling the line of scrimmage in the running game to embarrassing blockers while rushing the passer, a few defensive linemen stood out.

Below, we'll highlight the most impressive D-line players from Week 2:

(Note: Since 3-4 outside linebackers have essentially the same roles as 4-3 defensive ends, and typically play defensive end when their scheme goes to nickel - five defensive backs, two off-ball linebackers, four defensive linemen - this weekly feature will treat them as defensive linemen.)

Defensive Lineman of the Week: Geno Atkins, BengalsDiamond Images / Diamond Images / Getty

In a short week against the Baltimore Ravens, Geno Atkins put together a dominant performance, finishing the Bengals' 34-23 victory with nine tackles, two sacks, two quarterback hits, five hurries, and three run stops, per PFF.

If there's one word to describe Atkins, it's power. He plays with a strong foundation that sees both feet constantly in contact with the ground, and he combines that power with active hands to bully offensive linemen on the way to ball-carriers. His first-quarter sack against Baltimore is a great example:

On this play, Atkins is the defensive tackle aligned directly over the center. After the ball is snapped, he quickly bursts to the outside edge of the center in an attempt to occupy the block so the looping linebacker can advance to the quarterback unabated. However, because Atkins is so strong, he's able to simply walk the center back into the quarterback's lap before discarding the block to record the sack.

Notice how Atkins uses superior leverage - with his lower pad level - to maximize his strength at the point of attack.

However, Atkins is no one-trick pony, as he also displays the requisite awareness and technique to counter opposing linemen who try to stop his power. This play is a great illustration:

Here, Atkins is aligned to the outside of the left guard. After the ball is snapped, he explodes out of his stance and rushes down the left guard's midline, making it appear as though he'll use a powerful bull rush. Yet, right when Atkins is in range to make contact, he puts his right foot in the turf and darts inside while using a well-timed arm-over move.

This causes the left guard to miss with his hands and lose balance, making it impossible to recover. From there, Atkins shows impressive contact balance to sift through the bodies, pressuring and hitting Joe Flacco as he makes his throw.

Atkins has been one of the best defensive tackles in football for the last handful of years, and if Week 2 is any indication, he's not slowing down.

Rookie Defensive Lineman of the Week: Harold Landry, TitansIcon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / Getty

It wasn't a big week for the rookie defensive-line class, but one player stood out. While he was quiet against the run, Harold Landry showed off his potent speed-rush moves, finishing with two quarterback hits and three other hurries.

Landry uses exceptional burst and otherworldly lower-body pliability that allows him to make tight turns once he gets to the edge. Here's a great example:

Here, Landry is lined up in a wide-nine technique opposite the Texans' left tackle. After the snap, Landry bursts upfield, using perfect stride length and frequency to eat up his cushion with the tackle.

Once Landry gets within striking range, he subtly dips his inside shoulder - effectively reducing his blockable surface area - as he turns a tight corner to the quarterback. From there, Landry carries his momentum through the turn and into Deshaun Watson, forcing an incompletion.

Just like any rookie, Landry needs to deepen his pass-rush repertoire and develop a more well-rounded skill set. However, his speed rush is the trump card that will lead to immediate production.

Don't be surprised if Landry leads all rookies in total pressures this season.

Best Pass Rush of the Week: Von Miller, BroncosJustin Edmonds / Getty Images Sport / Getty

A week after being named Defensive Lineman of the Week in this space, Von Miller makes another appearance after showing off his pass-rushing ability against Raiders right tackle Donald Penn.

Because Miller is so fast around the edge, offensive tackles often have to sell out to stop the speed rush, opening up a ton of counters. Against Oakland, Miller hit a nasty counter off his speed rush:

Here, he's aligned to the outside edge of Penn in a two-point stance. Once the ball is snapped, Miller explodes upfield for three steps, forcing Penn to turn his shoulder in an attempt to push the rusher past the pocket. But Miller does an excellent job of identifying Penn's turned shoulders along with the running back's chip block.

Once his third step hits the ground, Miller throws on the brakes before exploding through Penn's inside shoulder, knocking him to the ground and avoiding the block from the running back. Miller also does an excellent job of retaining his balance as he pursues and sacks Derek Carr.

It was a beautiful play by Miller and a great illustration of his timing and deep repertoire as a pass-rusher.

Run Defender of the Week: Leonard Williams, JetsElsa / Getty Images Sport / Getty

After being drafted into a stacked defensive line that already featured Sheldon Richardson and Muhammad Wilkerson, Leonard Williams has been a bit overlooked since entering the NFL. Now, with Wilkerson and Richardson gone, there's a ton of pressure to produce for the Jets up front.

Williams certainly didn't disappoint in Week 2 against the Miami Dolphins, as he was dominant against the run. This particular stop stood out:

Here, Williams is the defensive tackle aligned with an outside shade as the Dolphins call an inside zone run. After the ball is snapped, Williams darts into the backside A-gap, employing a quick and precise arm-over move to leave the center grasping for air. From there, Williams gets deep into the Dolphins' backfield and makes the tackle for a 3-yard loss.

It was a great display of lateral quickness to go with efficient technique from Williams, who's looking to prove himself as the leader of the Jets' defensive line.

In the spotlight: DeForest Buckner, 49ersMichael Zagaris / Getty Images Sport / Getty

It may be cheating to label DeForest Buckner as underrated, but few people outside of San Francisco know of how good the Oregon product truly is.

Standing at 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds with nearly 34.5-inch arms, Buckner has the body type that you'd typically see with an offensive lineman. Since he lacks the quickness to win consistently in the trenches, Buckner must make use of his raw power, length, and flexibility to produce for the 49ers.

Through two weeks, Buckner has done exactly that, totaling 12 tackles, 3.5 sacks, and five quarterback hits in two games.

Against Detroit, Buckner's length and strength were on full display, as he bullied the offensive line throughout the game. Here's a great example:

On this play, Buckner has a wide alignment over the outside edge of the Lions' left guard. After the snap, he does a good job of closing the distance with his first two steps. Right as Buckner gets within range, he lowers his pad level slightly as he engages the left guard with inside hands, giving himself the leverage advantage.

From there, Buckner churns his feet, walks back the left guard for two steps, and uses his length to create the separation he needs to discard the block. To finish, Buckner simply tosses the guard aside as he pursues and sacks Matthew Stafford.

When Buckner wins the leverage battle at the point of attack, he's nearly impossible to stop. In the NFL, raw power isn't enough to be effective inside the box as a defensive lineman. Technique and the use of leverage help separate the weight-room warriors from the on-field assassins.

Across the last two years, Buckner didn't consistently win the leverage battle because of his erratic pad level, which led to inconsistent production. Thus far this season, he's played with consistently good pad level, which has led to more disruption and production from the former first-round pick.

With Buckner on the precipice of stardom, make sure you grab your seat on the bandwagon before there's no space left.

John Owning is a football writer at theScore. He has written for Bleacher Report and Football Insiders. He was also the lead NFL content editor at FanRag Sports. John provides analysis on the Dallas Cowboys for the Dallas Morning News and edits for The Quant Edge. Find him on Twitter @JohnOwning.

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