By Paula PascheFor The Macomb Daily Detroit Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh (90) jokes with defensive end Lawrence Jackson, left, before a preseason NFL football game with the New England Patriots, Saturday, Aug. 27, 2011, in Detroit, Mich. (AP Photo/Tony Ding) ALLEN PARK — Ndamukong Suh and Gerald McCoy drew many parallels as All-American defensive tackles in college.Both in the Big 12 — Suh at Nebraska, McCoy at Oklahoma.They weren’t exactly buddies, didn’t meet until the game in their senior seasons. Then they would run into each other at awards banquets and the Combine.Prior to the 2010 NFL draft there was some discussion about which one would have more success at the next level.McCoy was considered a more powerful inside penetrator and pass rusher.Prior to that draft, Pro Football Weekly said about Suh: “Will never be a dominant inside rusher due to the inability to unlock and use the power in his hips.’’Then they were drafted second and third respectively. Suh, of course, by the Lions and McCoy by the Bucs. It could have gone the other way.So obviously it’s a story to look at the two as they head into the season opener of their second years when the Lions play the Bucs on Sunday.Suh and McCoy seemed disinterested in what the other might do or say.“My fans don’t seem to be worried about it, for me there’s no battle between us two. The reason why I say that it’s just like the draft, we had nothing to do with each other’s draft status and where we were picked at,’’ Suh said. “All we have to do is go out there and prove how good we are and let the chips fall where they may.’’Their rookie seasons took different routes.Suh, with 66 tackles and 10 sacks in 16 games, was named defensive rookie of the year.“He deserved it, he played well. It’s not easy to get double-digits sacks regardless of what position you’re in and he did it from the inside. So of course he’s going to get the accolades, he deserved it and he played real well,’’ McCoy said in a conference call on Wednesday.McCoy didn’t make it all the way through his rookie season with the Bucs. He tore his left biceps on Dec. 12 and was done for the season with 28 tackles and three sacks.He doesn’t want to speculate if he might have had Suh’s success if he was in a similar system.“I can’t call that, you’ve got to go out there and play and let things happen. … I’m not an excuse maker, there’s no excuse,’’ McCoy said. “He got put in the system he got put in, he played in that system and he played well. I got put in the system I got put in and I have to adjust, it happens.’’One thing both agree on, is that they are more comfortable as they start their second seasons in the NFL. Less thinking, more reacting.“Trust me there’s a lot more comfort in my play this year just because it’s second nature now. I felt going into last year’s first game I knew what I was supposed to do and I was in the right place, but at the same time there was still the hesitation, still thinking to make sure I was doing the right thing,’’ Suh said. “Now it’s second nature to me. I can just go out and play, play the style of defense that’s expected of us. With that it’s going to be a lot of fun to really go out there and wreak havoc.’’It’s the same for McCoy.“I’m just relaxing and just playing, last year I was doing a lot of thinking. Like in games, my first NFL game, I was still like ‘Hey I’m in the NFL playing.’ it was still an amazing thing to me,’’ McCoy said. “… Whereas now, it’s like this is the league I’m in, it’s the level I’m at. I take nothing for granted. People would do crazy things, would do anything to be in my position, I don’t take it for granted but I’m just more relaxed.’’A huge difference is the makeup of the defensive lines for the Lions and Bucs.It’s a much younger, less experienced group in Tampa with rookie Adam Clayborn starting on the right end and third-year players Roy Miller at defensive tackle and Michael Bennett at the left end.A pair of veterans — end Kyle Vanden Bosch and tackle Corey Williams — provide the leadership on Detroit’s line which also includes end Cliff Avril who is entering his fourth season.Neither Suh or McCoy is interested in the past which includes last season’s 23-20 overtime win by Detroit at Tampa.“You can’t see what’s ahead if you look behind you. … We’re not worried about last year, last year was last year. We had 10 wins last year and that’s all swell and good, but we have a different goal in mind this year and that’s to win our division, our first goal is to beat the Detroit Lions,’’ McCoy said.And for Suh?“That was last year, it’s a new year, it’s a new ball game. We can definitely learn from our mistakes, learn from our positives in that game, but it’s a new game,’’ Suh said. “It’s an opportunity to prove again we can play with this team and hopefully beat them.’’For two guys who claim not to have much interest in each other, they sound very much alike.They won’t be on the field at the same time on Sunday, but fans will be watching each one closely. Return to Paging Mode