Pressure is absolutely piling up on the Detroit Lions and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard right now, but head coach Dan Campbell says he hasn’t even considered adding a senior defensive assistant to the staff. Seriously, he told reporters, “Not at this moment, no I have not,” when asked about bringing in some midseason help. This is a head-scratcher when you look at how bad their defense has been.
Campbell’s Bye Week Bet
Dude, you gotta wonder if Campbell’s playing a little chicken here. While he shut down the idea for now, he definitely left the door open. He pointed to next week’s bye week as a chance to re-evaluate everything. His quote was classic Campbell, saying, “Look, we’ve got another game here, and then I’m going to have a bye to be able to sit down for a minute, and not drink out of a fire hydrant. And that’ll help just a tic.” So, he’s basically saying he needs a minute to think straight before making any big moves. It’s a gamble, for sure, especially with the defense struggling this much.
The Baltimore Blueprint
Here’s the thing though, adding a defensive assistant midseason isn’t some crazy, unheard-of idea. It actually worked out big time for another team not too long ago. Back in 2024, the Baltimore Ravens were in a rough spot with their second-year defensive coordinator, Zach Orr. What did they do? In early October, Baltimore brought in Dean Pees as a senior advisor. And get this: the Ravens defense was drastically different afterward. Before Pees, they were allowing a dismal 25.2 points per game through five weeks. After he joined? They tightened things up to a much better 19.6 points per game. Talk about a night and day difference! It proves that a strategic addition can absolutely turn a defense around.
Lions’ Defense Is on the Brink
Right now, the Lions’ defense is, frankly, in a bad spot. They rank 31st in points allowed, 29th in yards per play, and dead last at 32nd in EPA/play. Seriously, what’s going on? They’re bottom three across the board. This week, they head to Arizona to face a Cardinals team that’s currently 17th in points scored, 31st in yards per play, and 17th in EPA/play. This isn’t some offensive juggernaut they’re facing either. If the Lions’ defense can’t hold *this* Cardinals team in check, it could mean those “changes are coming” during their bye week are not just a possibility, but a certainty. The clock is ticking, man, and Campbell’s decision after the bye could make or break their season.
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.
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