CHARLOTTE, NC – So, Dan Campbell, when are you going to fire defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard?
That question, or a variant of it, was asked a couple ways after the Detroit Lions defense stumbled and bumbled yet again in a 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday, Oct. 4, at Bank of America Stadium.
Sheppard has been under fire all season – after he was under fire all last season. Joan of Arc wasn’t under this much fire.
After Sheppard’s defense surrendered at least 30 points for the third time in four games, plus 445 yards of offense, a 110.7 passer rating for Carolina QB Bryce Young (not to mention the “M-V-P” chants) and 127 yards rushing (at a 4.5-yard average) – yes, the firing question was going to come up.
takes blame for after Lions' Carolina loss, and he should
So, is he considering firing Sheppard?
“Well, yeah, I'm not,” Campbell said. “I'm not. I'm not talking about all that, man. I'm talking about getting better right now than what we've got, and that's what we're going to do. We're going to find a way to get better than what we got.”
The Lions are 2-2, and they haven’t looked great getting there. The offense, as usual, has done all the heavy lifting. The defense is bad against the run and the pass, bad in the red zone, bad on third down and bad in scoring defense.
About the best thing you can say is that the defense came up with a big three-and-out stop with about 6 minutes left, giving the offense a shot at redemption. But that’s a little like starting a fire that burns down your house, then saying you almost saved it by pouring a little water on it at the end.
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What Campbell doesn’t want is panic, not with so much of the season left. He knows if players sense that from their coach, they’ll be tempted to follow suit and check out.
“And so let's look at it, man, and let's get it fixed,” he said. “But I know this. We go into panic mode when we've got 13 games left and we're 2-2, I mean that's not the right thing to do. I just don't believe that. I never have. So, you know, I know there's frustration. Look, I'm frustrated. I know the players are frustrated.”
The players are frustrated? Campbell should try Lions fans, who are so frustrated they’re ready to throw their Lions jerseys on top of their pile of Red Wings jerseys still smoldering.
Yes, the bulk of the season remains. But the reality is, about one-quarter of the season is over. By now, Campbell has seen enough to know this is what his defense is going to look like under Sheppard. Not even the return of Brian Branch or Kerby Joseph at safety will be enough to save the defense.
I asked Campbell if he at least reserved the right to make a change at defensive coordinator during the season, the way he has in his previous five seasons with two previous coordinators on offense.
“Yeah, dude,” he said, “I've got to always do what's right by this team, what I truly believe is the best thing and the right thing to do always. I'm always going to do that, man.
“That's the most important thing is what's right for the players, man, and what gives us the best opportunity to win.”
The players have the opposite perspective. They want to do what’s right by their coach.
“I have the utmost faith in him,” defensive end Aidan Hutchinson said. “I think we have the utmost faith in him.
“But yeah, definitely we have to evolve as a defense and we have to grow because we can't keep putting our offense in these shootout-like games because it just puts stress on them, man. And yeah, we just got to do better as a unit and, man, I think we all ... support Shep fully.”
I also asked Campbell if he believes there are still some tweaks that can be made to the defense. Maybe looking at the scheme, he said, maybe playing more man coverage.
“I mean, I want to exhaust everything here,” he said. “You know, let's exhaust everything we have to do it.”
One of the truest things I’ve heard any coach say came from former Lions coach Jim Caldwell, who had no problem grappling with the unforgiving nature of the career he chose.
“It’s a week-to-week business,” he would say.
That’s how time and patience is measured in an NFL season.
For now, Campbell can conduct an exhaustive examination of every possible change.
If that doesn’t work soon, he’ll be left with the option Caldwell and every former NFL coach knows too well.
Contact Carlos Monarrez at cmonarrez@freepress.com and follow him on X @cmonarrez.
Next up: Cardinals
Matchup: Lions (2-2) at Arizona (1-3).
Kickoff: 4:25 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 11; State Farm Stadium, Glendale, Arizona.
TV/radio: Fox; WXYT-FM (97.1).
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Fire Kelvin Sheppard? Not yet, but Lions, Dan Campbell, need fix soon
