Dan Campbell wasn’t interested in a coaching-candidate debate after the Lions’ 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers on Sunday night. When asked directly whether he would consider firing defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, Campbell shut it down.
“I’m not talking about all that,” Campbell said after the game. “I’m talking about getting better right now with what we got and that’s what we’re going do. We’re going to find a way to get better with what we got.”
That answer came after another rough night for Detroit’s defense, which allowed 445 yards as Carolina moved the ball almost whenever it wanted. The Panthers averaged 6.2 yards per play, and Bryce Young turned in a sharp performance, completing 29 of 41 passes for 329 yards and two touchdowns.
Detroit’s offense did enough to keep things close. Jared Goff threw for 412 yards, and the Lions finished with 452 total yards and 26 points. But the defensive issues keep piling up, and Sunday marked the third time in four weeks that Detroit has given up at least 30 points.
It also put the Lions in an unwanted bit of early-season company. For the first time since the 2008 team went 0-16, Detroit has allowed 30 or more points in each of its first four games.
Campbell said there are still things the Lions can clean up before they “exhaust everything here” in the search for answers on defense. For now, though, he’s making it clear he wants the focus on improvement, not on staff changes.
In Other News...
Panthers Survived The Injury Wave And Now Relief May Be Near
The Panthers have spent the first month of the season juggling one injury report after another, yet they somehow emerged from that stretch at 2-2 and with a little momentum intact. Key players have landed on injured reserve, others have sat out games, and the roster has been in near-constant motion, forcing the coaching staff to keep adjusting on the fly while trying to protect a decent start.
A bye week now offers the first real chance for some relief, with Trevor Etienne, Taylor Moton and Tershawn Wharton among the players who could be back in play afterward. Nothing is official until medical clearance comes through, but even the possibility of getting healthier is a welcome shift for a team that has had to win with a patchwork lineup and could use some stability as the schedule tightens again. [Read more 🡒]
Panthers Defense Could Push Carolina Toward One Low-Risk Deadline Move
With Carolina still searching for answers on defense, the trade deadline could offer a low-cost way to bring in some help. One name that has surfaced is veteran defensive lineman Solomon Thomas of the Tennessee Titans, a former first-round pick who might fit as a depth add without requiring much in return.
Thomas has not played much this season, which is part of what makes him such an appealing target for a team trying to patch a unit that has struggled. If the price really is as modest as a conditional seventh-round pick, the Panthers have a realistic path to make a move before the deadline and add another body to the front seven without changing the long-term picture much. [Read more 🡒]
Bryce Young Is Giving Panthers Fans A New Way To Clap Back
Bryce Youngs second season has given Panthers fans something they did not have a year ago: a clear, football-backed answer when the conversation turns negative. After a rocky rookie campaign, Young has looked far more comfortable this season, his passing production has jumped and his efficiency has taken a step forward under coach Dave Canales, even while Carolina has had to work through injuries around him. His progress has turned him into a central piece of the offense and changed the mood around a player who was too quickly written off by plenty of outsiders.
Robert Griffin III added fuel to that shift by publicly calling for apologies to Young from the people who labeled him a bust, a sentiment Panthers supporters have been eager to embrace. For a team and fan base that spent so much of last season defending the quarterbacks long-term outlook, Youngs growth has created a new kind of comeback narrative, one that lets Carolina clap back with performance instead of projection. [Read more 🡒]