The Lions don’t need much extra juice heading into Week 3, but the sight of former defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn on the opposite sideline ought to sharpen things up at Ford Field.
Detroit is trying to bounce back after a disappointing showing against the Buffalo Bills, and the path to beating the New York Jets comes down to two obvious pressure points: the pass rush has to arrive faster, and the coverage has to hold together behind it.
That’s been the issue through the first two games. The Lions are blitzing on nearly 40 percent of defensive snaps, but Tyler Shough and Josh Allen were both able to get the ball out quickly and keep Detroit from finishing enough plays the way Kelvin Sheppard would like. At the same time, the secondary has spent more time in zone than it has in previous seasons, and the communication issues have shown up in the form of players being out of position.
If Detroit can get the front and the back end working in sync, the Jets should have a much tougher time moving the ball on Sunday afternoon. If not, the same soft spots that have shown up early could be there again.
Dan Campbell addressed the shift in zone coverage to start the 2026 season and explained why the Lions have leaned that way.
“We just felt like this would suit us a little bit better up to this point and then be disruptive and get takeaways, which worked well Week 1," said Campbell. "We had two ops last week against Buffalo we weren't able to get, but they're there.”
He also pointed to the early injuries that have forced Detroit to adjust personnel and simplify some things on the back end.
"It's challenging and that's why a lot of the things we've done in zone for the most part have been to reduce that stress level back there. But, that also requires the front getting there.
And if you don't get there, we already kind of talked about that, but there is a trust there. And then if you're just going to play, you're just going to rush four and then play true zone now, okay, it doesn't mean you're not going to get there, but now they can chip or they can double.
And so, it takes a tick longer and now you're able to stay over the top to play zone, but now it's just, you can bleed yards, that's all. It gets a little longer and it's dink and dunk and run after catch."
The quarterback Detroit has to deal with Sunday is plenty familiar, and not in a comforting way. The 35-year-old veteran has had success against the Lions before, including three straight 300-yard passing games at Ford Field during his Seahawks run from 2022-2024.
Campbell made clear that the challenge is even bigger because of what the Jets are running now. He noted that New York’s offense is different from the systems Smith played in before, with Frank Reich calling the shots.
“I think the biggest thing is it's a different offense than what he was with really both times that he came out here. This is what (Jets offensive coordinator) Frank (Reich) does out there," said Campbell.
"Frank does a heck of a job, man. And it's different.
And so, take that for what it is in the system that they run. But, our guys are very aware of what he's done to us and what he's capable of.
"This guy sits in the pocket and he's looking to deliver one of these downfield. And if not, it's a check down and he didn't care about the rush," Campbell added.
"And if you give him a lane, he will still take it and he can still hurt you with his legs and then make throws downfield once he's out of the pocket. So, he's been to death of us too many times.
And so, our guys are very aware of it.”
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Week 3 against the Jets gives Detroit a chance to see whether that quiet start was just a slow opening or the beginning of something more limited. Each of those players is in position for more playing time and a bigger statistical footprint, and for a team trying to stack wins early, even the lesser-used pieces can end up shaping how far the depth chart reaches. [Read more 🡒]