The Detroit Lions defense has been a wreck through two games, affording opponents an average of 35.5 points per game. But defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard has a simple, two-step plan to stop the proverbial bleeding.
Sheppard, who media members are already putting on the hot seat early in 2026 during just his second season as the franchise’s DC, announced his intentions in a concise manner on Thursday, September 24.
“I’m going to be loud and clear about this,” Sheppard said. “We are going to stop the run, and we will create takeaways.”
Through two contests against the New Orleans Saints and Buffalo Bills in Weeks 1 and 2, respectively, Detroit has surrendered a combined 294 rushing yards (147 yards per game) and forced three total turnovers, all of which came in the season-opener against the Saints at Ford Field.
Lions’ Secondary Remains Mess of Injury Issues
The Lions defense looked solid against New Orleans in the first half, holding the Saints to zero points and keeping the pass attack under control with a strong dose of zone coverage in a nickel formation (five defensive backs).
However, that is not traditionally how Dan Campbell’s defenses have played, focusing more on man coverage and a more aggressive style in general over his tenure in Detroit. The problem is the lack of talent, depth and physicality in the secondary due in part to the absences of both star safeties Kerby Joseph and Brian Branch. Each man will miss at least the first four games of the year with injury, and possibly more.
New Orleans solved the Lions’ coverage schemes in the second half of Week 1, scoring 30 points across two quarters and overtime and falling a two-point conversion shy of a 21-point comeback/upset victory.
The pass rush in Detroit has been reasonable, with seven sacks through two games, though three of those belong to Aidan Hutchinson. The Lions will no doubt lean on the unit’s best player all season long, but he is going to need more help if the team hopes to make drive killing plays and/or force turnovers regularly without abandoning its hampered secondary to regular abuse by opposing pass attacks.
Kelvin Sheppard Could End Up Scapegoat if Lions Continue to Struggle Defensively
In fairness to Sheppard, the roster construction on defense in Detroit leaves more than a little to be desired. And that is true on all three levels, though nowhere is it truer than in the defensive backfield.
Still, after the Lions went 9-8 and missed the playoffs last season despite an elite offense, the blame is falling past the front office and Campbell, and coming to rest firmly on Sheppard’s shoulders.
If the team has to scapegoat someone for a continued lack of defensive prowess, it is almost certain to be the 38-year-old coordinator who replaced Aaron Glenn in 2025 after he left to become the head coach of the New York Jets.
“I think if we see a couple more of these performances … you’re going to start to see Sheppard on the spot,” Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated said on the “Rich Eisen Show” last week. “Now, like, to be fair to him, he’s a bright young coaching prospect, and the secondary has all kinds of issues.”
Campbell, for his part, has stood beside Sheppard in the early going. The team also restructured the contracts of wide receiver Amon-Ra St. Brown and offensive tackle Penei Sewell, clearing up well north of $30 million in salary cap space and bringing the total available to just above $37 million as of Thursday.
Given the circumstances, it would not be a surprise if the Lions use some of that money to acquire help on defense in the coming weeks.
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