DETROIT -- One grew up in West Africa, the other in Norway.
One was the fifth pick overall in the NFL Draft because of his fascinating size and athleticism, the other a product of a trick-kick video that he posted on Youtube.
Both have catchy nicknames -- “Ziggy” and “Kickalicious” -- and their amazing journeys to the NFL turned Friday night’s preseason opener into a real feel-good story for the Detroit Lions, who rolled to a 26-17 victory over the New York Jets at Ford Field.
On his fourth play in a Lions’ uniform, Ezekiel “Ziggy” Ansah, a 6-foot-5, 271-pound defensive end, intercepted a screen pass and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown.
And then there was Havard “Kickalicious” Rugland, the left-footed Norwegian who kicked 49- and 50-yard field goals in the second half of his American football debut.
Both got mobbed by their teammates, who were genuinely elated for them.
“A great way for Ziggy to say hello,” said quarterback Matthew Stafford.
As for Rugland, Stafford added, “The guy’s having a blast here and he’s doing a great job. It’s an awesome story.”
The Lions wanted -- make that needed -- a playmaker for their defense, which failed to score a touchdown last season, and they might have found just that with their first-round draft pick who has been labeled as a “hit-or-miss” prospect.
Willie Young, playing defensive end on the other side, made the play on Ansah’s pick-six by putting pressure on Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez, who panicked and threw an atrocious pass.
Ansah reached up, grabbed the ball and then raced for the end zone.
“I’m blessed, lucky,” he said. “I just play the game. I try to see what I can see. I’m not the perfect guy. I was fortunate to get that.”
Ansah, 24, born in Ghana, only started playing football three years ago when he came over to the United States and walked onto the team at Brigham Young after getting cut in basketball.
Despite his lack of football experience, he has surprisingly terrific instincts for the game.
“It’s not going to stop there,” defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh said. “He’s got a lot of great natural talent.
“He may not always get off the ball exactly how a coach wants to coach it, but he has a great instinct of where the ball’s going to be, what’s going to happen, and be able to read and react.”
Stafford said of the defensive score: “It was awesome. He’s doing that all the time in practice. He’s jumping up and batting balls down and making plays. That’s the kind of play that can change a game.”
Ansah fits heavily into the Lions’ current plans while Rugland remains a long shot to make the roster because the club also has a veteran, proven kicker in David Akers.
Nevertheless, Kickalicious is making a strong statement that he intends to have a job in the NFL somewhere, if not this year, then in the near future.
His teammates -- and the fans -- love him and his story. After Rugland booted the kickoff to start the second half into the end zone for a touchback, Ansah snuck up from behind and hoisted him into the air.
Later in the third quarter, the crowd woke up from a preseason daze when Rugland came onto the field to line up for his first field-goal attempt.
This time, linebacker Stephen Tulloch congratulated Rugland afterward by picking him up and carrying him toward the sideline.
“We’re all happy to have him as a teammate,” Stafford said. “The guy’s a great guy. It’s refreshing to see how much fun he’s having. The guy’s a pretty darn good kicker.”
Suh said: “He’s definitely a character. His accent is hilarious. I like him a lot. I wish him the best. The thing about him, he’s just having fun. It’s just a fun dude to be around. I think for my off-season adventures, I’m going to make my way to Norway.”
Rugland said his family and friends were watching the game on-line in the wee hours of the morning on Saturday back in Norway, which is six hours ahead of Detroit time.
Rugland, who grew up playing soccer, admitted he was nervous kicking in a big football stadium, but he certainly didn’t show it.
“You feel the pressure,” he said. “I need to show my teammates and coaches that I can perform in a game.”
He self-critiqued his performance, saying, “I know there’s a lot I can get better on. Kickoffs should be better. At least I proved I can score a field goal in a game. It was a good start. I’m happy.”
It’s been quite a whirlwind for this 28-year-old who really had no idea that Youtube would lead him to the NFL.
It’s been nearly 11 months since he posted the video.
“Eleven months ago, I usually kicked with my dog in Norway,” Kickalicious said. “It’s a pretty big difference. I guess that says it all.”
