Man, if you watched that “Sunday Night Football” game, you saw it. The Detroit Lions’ defense got absolutely carved up by Bryce Young and the Panthers, especially when they blitzed. Young shredded them, going 9-of-11 for 95 yards and a touchdown against those blitzes, and the stats back it up, putting Detroit bottom 10 in the NFL for passing EPA per play allowed when bringing heat at a brutal +0.26. But after all that, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is still out here saying, “Those calls were the right calls.”
When ‘Right Calls’ Go Wrong
Seriously, that’s what Sheppard, in his second year as DC, told reporters this week. When asked how he’d make his unit’s blitzes more effective after getting burned like that, he just doubled down. “Those calls were the right calls. Those calls were the right calls. And I’ll leave it at that.” Can you believe that? The dude is fiery, sure, but the numbers don’t lie. Not only did Young pick them apart when Detroit blitzed, but Carolina’s RPOs gashed the Lions all game long in that 32-26 Panthers victory. It’s not just a little problem, it’s a glaring issue, and the DC is sticking to his guns.
A Defense That Can’t Stop Anyone
This isn’t just about one game, either. Through four games, this Lions defense is in a serious slump. They entered Week 5 ranked second to last in the entire league in points per game allowed, giving up a shocking 31.8 points. Only the New Orleans Saints are worse at 32 points per game. And if you like throwing the ball, you’re gonna love playing Detroit, because right now, no NFL team is giving up more passing yards per game, a staggering 304. While guys like Aidan Hutchinson and Tyleik Williams are flashing potential up front, the back seven is clearly struggling. How do you fix that when the guy calling the shots says his bad calls were actually “right”?
Poison Talk and Trust Issues
Despite all this defensive chaos, the Lions are somehow still 2-2. You know why? Their offense. Five-time Pro Bowl quarterback Jared Goff and that talent-laden unit are carrying the load. But don’t you dare bring that up to Sheppard. He called that kind of talk “poison” and “ultra-disrespectful to my unit.” He’s standing strong that they’re a “three-phase team” and his defense will do “their one-third here, hell or high water, point blank, period.” But what kind of “third” is it when you’re giving up 300+ yards and 30+ points every week?
Sheppard actually shed some light on a deeper issue: a trust problem on the field. He described how players are peaking out of their gaps to help others they don’t trust, leaving their own assignments vulnerable. “And then the ball hits in your gap, and this is happening a little too much,” he said. His solution? Either “make sure guys you don’t trust aren’t out there,” or “you guys get it corrected and you get it corrected in a hurry.” While 2024 Pro Bowl safety Brian Branch is coming back soon, one player isn’t going to magically fix a fundamental trust breakdown. Lions head coach Dan Campbell has de-escalated questions about Sheppard’s job security, saying the focus is on improving “with what we’ve got.”
This team has a huge road game against the 1-3 Arizona Cardinals coming up. It’s a chance to right the ship against another struggling squad, but if Sheppard keeps doubling down on calls that aren’t working, and those trust issues keep eating at the defense, it’s gonna be a long season for Detroit, no matter how much their offense scores. You gotta wonder how long Campbell can stick to improving “with what we’ve got” if “what we’ve got” is a defensive coordinator refusing to admit his scheme is failing.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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