The Detroit Lions have come a long way in a month-plus, going from a 2-2 team to one of the NFC’s top groups at 6-2. A big reason for that surge has been the work of defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s unit, which has steadied itself after a rough start.
Detroit’s current four-game winning streak has come with a defense that hasn’t given up more than 21 points in any game. Sunday’s win over the Miami Dolphins was even cleaner, with the Lions allowing a season-low nine points.
That’s a sharp contrast from the first month of the season. Before Detroit’s Week 5 win over the Arizona Cardinals, the defense was in rough shape and looked close to broken. It gave up at least 30 points in three of the first four games, including 32 in a frustrating Week 4 loss to the then injury-ravaged Carolina Panthers.
That performance sparked plenty of criticism, including calls for Sheppard to be fired.
Since then, though, the second-year coordinator has helped flip the script. The secondary, boosted by the return of safety Brian Branch, has been much more effective and has held opposing passers under 300 yards in each of the last four weeks.
That improvement has helped Dan Campbell’s team play far more consistent complementary football, especially in wins over divisional foes Green Bay and Minnesota.
Even with the recent turnaround, the Lions still aren’t a finished product. They remain in need of help, especially on defense, which puts the pressure on general manager Brad Holmes ahead of Tuesday’s trade deadline at 4 p.m. EST.
Holmes can’t just settle for a depth addition and call it a day. The Lions need more than a bargain-bin move, and the front office has to chase an impact defender if it wants to push this roster higher.
The problem is trust. Holmes has not exactly built a reputation for aggressive deadline shopping.
In six years as the team’s lead personnel decision-maker, he has rarely made a major move at the deadline. Last year, he didn’t make a single trade, drawing justified criticism from the fanbase.
The year before that, though, he made his biggest deadline splash to date by landing pass-rusher Za’Darius Smith from the Cleveland Browns after Aidan Hutchinson’s season-ending leg injury. Smith went on to post four sacks in eight games with the Lions in 2024.
This year, Detroit’s needs are clear again. Cornerback and EDGE stand out, and the recent injuries to DJ Wonnum (concussion) and D.J. Reed (hip) only make the situation more urgent.
That’s why Holmes needs to be active on the phones and pushing to upgrade both spots. And he can’t afford to stop at low-impact pieces.
The names that fit the need are the kind of players who could step in right away for Sheppard’s defense, including Philadelphia Eagles cornerback Riq Woolen and L.A. Chargers EDGE Khalil Mack.
Still, there’s skepticism about whether either of them will end up in Honolulu Blue.
At this point, there’s no confidence that Holmes will do what it takes to elevate the defense, and the team, to another level. So Lions fans probably shouldn’t expect a splash. The feeling here is that Detroit’s general manager will keep leaning into his bargain-shopping habits over the next 24 hours.
In Other News...
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For the Lions, that means the margin for error keeps shrinking even when they take care of business. The division is tracking toward a historic finish, and the pressure is not just about staying in first place, but about keeping pace in a race where every contender keeps answering back. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Just Framed This Dolphins Test In A Familiar Way
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For Detroit, the matchup still comes with the edge of a team that has more talent on paper, but that kind of advantage can disappear quickly if the details slip. The bigger backdrop is the emotional one inside the building, where the aftermath of Jack Campbells frightening neck injury last week still hangs over the weeks preparation. Even with the Dolphins drawing comparisons to an early Lions squad, this feels like one of those games where the mood around the team may matter almost as much as the matchup itself. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Win Sparked Public Frustration From A Dolphins Star
De'Von Achanes season-ending torn ACL already took a major piece out of Miamis offense, and the Dolphins have spent the fall trying to patch together production without one of their most dynamic playmakers. The frustration has only grown as the losses pile up, and it showed again after Detroit handed Miami another defeat, leaving the Dolphins searching for answers as they head into a Week 10 meeting with the Colts.
Achane made his feelings known publicly after the game, adding another layer to a rough stretch for a team that has struggled to find any rhythm. With Miami sitting at 1-7, every loss seems to deepen the pressure, and the reaction from one of the rosters most important young players underscores how far the season has drifted from expectations. [Read more 🡒]