The Lions head into their bye week with something to smile about after a 45-21 win over the Arizona Cardinals. It was the kind of game Detroit was supposed to handle, and while there’s no such thing as an easy victory in the NFL, Dan Campbell’s team at least gets to exhale a little before the next stretch.
Even with the 3-2 record, though, the biggest issue in Detroit has been on the defensive side of the ball. Last season, the offense was the group that never quite found its rhythm after offensive coordinator Ben Johnson left for the Chicago Bears. This year, it’s defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard who has been carrying the load for a unit that has struggled to hold up its end.
That criticism got sharper this week. In a Thursday piece, ESPN’s Bill Barnwell listed 15 coaches and players on the “hot seat” entering Week 6, and Sheppard was the Lions figure he singled out.
"Sheppard made it through Year 1, but unless things improve, it's tough to see him surviving through the end of a second season in the defensive role," he notes in the piece.
If the defense keeps slipping and the losses start stacking up, Campbell and general manager Brad Holmes could be pushed into a hard conversation about the coordinator spot. And as always, the pressure doesn’t stop there.
If Detroit’s problems keep growing, attention will naturally drift up to Campbell and Holmes too. For now, though, Barnwell’s message is clear: Sheppard is the one sitting in the hottest seat, and he needs a turnaround soon.
In Other News...
Lions Fans Are Split On Brad Holmes For One Big Reason
Brad Holmes has built enough goodwill in Detroit to keep the discussion interesting, but the fan base is hardly speaking with one voice anymore. A recent poll on his job performance reflects that split, with some supporters still buying into the long-term plan and others focusing more on the areas that have not looked as sharp.
The biggest flashpoint has been the 2024 draft class, where the conversation has turned critical around the way the roster has held up at cornerback. At the same time, Holmes still has a strong case to make for himself through the way he has reshaped both lines, and that balance is what makes the reaction around his work so revealing right now. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Have One More Packers Problem To Worry About
The Packers may be getting a timely boost just as the NFC North race starts to tighten up. Josh Jacobs is expected to be taken off the NFL commissioners exempt list and become eligible to play starting in Week 7, which puts his season debut in play against Detroit. For Green Bay, that would mean another layer of help for a run game that could use it in a divisional matchup with real early-season weight.
Jacobs has been sidelined since being placed on the exempt list after a May arrest, and the NFLs investigation is still ongoing because of unresolved evidence issues. Even so, the expectation is that he will be cleared to return to football activity right away, which gives the Packers a potential offensive reinforcement just as the Lions are preparing for one more problem to solve in the division. [Read more 🡒]
Two Lions Head Into The Bye With Their Roles Suddenly In Doubt
The Lions head into the bye with a pair of role questions hanging over the roster after the Week 5 win over the Cardinals. TeSlaa, who had been coming on with two strong outings, finished without a catch for the first time since Week 1, a reminder that even young players who seem to be gaining traction can hit a pause just as the picture starts to sharpen.
Iziens situation looks even murkier after a rough Week 4 and then no action at all against Arizona. For a team trying to sort out the back end of the roster and keep momentum going into the break, those two cases stand out because they are not just about one game, but about whether either player can reclaim a steadier place in Detroits plans once the Lions return. [Read more 🡒]