The Detroit Lions defense is in rough shape, ranking 31st in the NFL for points allowed, yards allowed, and EPA/play after just two weeks of the season. They’re giving up the most first downs in the league, the second-most passing yards, and the fifth-most rushing yards, making for a truly brutal start to the year. After a total disaster on Thursday night, filled with missed assignments and mental mistakes across the board, fans are understandably wondering if the coaching staff is even doing their job right.
Campbell Takes Blame, Still Backs His Guy
Lions coach Dan Campbell is usually the first one to step up and take the heat, and Monday was no different. He owned it, saying, “The bottom line is when it looks like that, we are responsible as coaches. I’m responsible.” He knows it’s up to them to put players in positions where they can actually succeed. But while taking accountability is key, it’s a whole other thing to lose faith in your staff. Campbell made it crystal clear he still believes he’s got the right coaches, especially when it comes to defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
“I believe he’s an outstanding coach,” Campbell declared about Sheppard. He called the whole defensive staff “outstanding” and “veteran,” adding they’re versatile and can coach better. Campbell even admitted he can coach better himself. The bottom line from the head coach is this: he believes they’re “the right guys to get this thing done.”
Sheppard’s Intelligence and the Path Forward
When grilled on why he’s got so much faith in Sheppard despite the early struggles, Campbell pointed to the DC’s brainpower and deep understanding of defenses. “He knows what he’s doing, man,” Campbell stated, emphasizing Sheppard’s real grasp of their defensive schemes. One big goal coming into this season was to be more aggressive and dictate how offenses play. Campbell highlighted one success: they actually lead the league in second-and-7+’s faced on defense. That means they’re getting opponents into longer down-and-distance situations, which is exactly what they wanted.
However, getting there is only half the battle. Now, as Campbell put it, they need to figure out, “now once we get them there, now what do we need to change?” They’ve got to tweak packages and tighten up some things with the players. Ultimately, Campbell trusts Sheppard’s knowledge and teaching abilities to fix what’s been six bad quarters of football. He believes Sheppard has a strong understanding of what offenses are trying to do and a good grasp of his own personnel. The coaches need to perform better, and so do the players, but Campbell is convinced Sheppard is the man to lead that turnaround.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Pride of Detroit.
Leave a Reply