ALLEN PARK, Mich. – How challenging is it to tackle Jayden Daniels?

Za’Darius Smith knows from experience. The seasoned defensive end, who joined the Detroit Lions through a midseason trade, has faced this challenge earlier this season. While playing for the Cleveland Browns in Week 5, Smith encountered the elusive rookie from the Washington Commanders.

“Ever seen a chicken in a chicken coop? It’s a bit like that,” Smith said on Wednesday. “I managed to get him once, but I missed him on two attempts.”

Now, he has another opportunity, as the Lions’ strategy for containing Daniels will be a pivotal aspect of the upcoming NFC divisional playoff game on Saturday night (8 p.m. ET, Fox) at Ford Field.

During the regular season, Daniels rushed for 891 yards, placing him second only to Lamar Jackson (915) among NFL quarterbacks and establishing a rookie record for quarterbacks. His impressive 4-yard scramble in the last moments of the game against Tampa Bay on Sunday night, where he evaded a sack and sprinted around the right side, set up the game-winning field goal.

It won’t be an easy job for Smith, who is 32 and has tallied nine sacks this season. In his 10^th NFL season, he stands as the most experienced player on the Lions’ defense, making him well-equipped to share insights on pursuing an increasing number of agile quarterbacks like the 24-year-old Daniels.

“With age, I notice the quarterbacks keep getting younger,” he chuckled.