Five weeks into the 2026 season, the Lions are 3-2 and heading into the bye with a defense that has flashed real punch up front while still leaving plenty to clean up everywhere else.
That contrast is the story of Detroit’s first quarter on defense. Kelvin Sheppard’s unit has been disruptive enough to keep games moving in the right direction at times, but there are still clear questions that will shape how high this team can climb. The bye week now becomes a chance to sort through those issues.
Start with the pass rush, because that’s where Detroit has done its best work. D.J.
Wonnum has emerged as the reliable second edge threat fans have been waiting for alongside Aidan Hutchinson. Through five games, Wonnum leads the team with five sacks and is closing in on his career high of eight, a mark he has reached twice.
He has recorded a sack in each of the last two games and posted two-sack outings in that stretch.
Hutchinson has been steady with four sacks of his own, while Alim McNeill has added three. Hutchinson is tied for the team lead with 32 pressures and owns a league-best 91.1 pass-rush grade from Pro Football Focus. McNeill has been just as important inside, leading all interior defensive linemen with 23 pressures.
That kind of production has given Detroit two of the league’s better-performing defensive linemen, and the numbers show up in the bigger picture too: the Lions lead the NFL in sacks. Even with their run defense taking hits, the pressure package has changed games when they’ve needed it most.
There’s also been reason to like what two younger linemen are doing. Tyleik Williams and Skyler Gill-Howard have worked as a tandem, with Williams handling the dirty work as a run-stuffer and Gill-Howard bringing more burst in pass-rush spots. Gill-Howard leads all rookie interior defensive linemen with 13 pressures and sits 16th in the league in that category after five games.
At linebacker, Jack Campbell’s start has been uneven after signing his extension following an All-Pro season a year ago. With Alex Anzalone gone, Campbell has been asked to take on more responsibility both on the field and as a leader, and he has not fully matched that demand yet.
Still, he has had his moments. His late strip sack against the Jets sealed the game, and his play has improved over the last few weeks.
Derrick Barnes has been a steady piece as well and stood out in the season-opening win over New Orleans. Malcolm Rodriguez and Devin White have split time as the third linebacker, though White is expected to miss time after suffering a forearm injury Sunday.
That injury could open the door for Jimmy Rolder, who has shown some flashes in limited action. His most notable play so far came on a tackle for loss against Carolina in Week 4.
Trevor Nowaske is another player who has made a case for more snaps. He has shown enough ability to make the unit faster, and he also could factor into the mix while White is out.
The biggest concern, though, has been the secondary. The questions have only grown after the Terrion Arnold situation ended with the former first-round pick being released, and the lack of activity around that spot has drawn scrutiny.
D.J. Reed has been Detroit’s top corner, but he has not yet looked like a shutdown answer in a man-coverage-heavy system. He has allowed a 124.2 opposing passer rating, which is the worst mark among Lions cornerbacks.
Across from him, Rock Ya-Sin opened the season as the starter before giving way to Roger McCreary. McCreary has taken his share of lessons, but his six passes defensed in the win over Arizona hinted that he may be part of the solution.
The safety group has been hit hard too. Brian Branch and Kerby Joseph have both missed time, and Avonte Maddox was lost for the season in Week 2 after starting next to Chuck Clark.
That injury pushed Christian Izien into a larger role, and he has held up adequately. But he did not play a defensive snap Sunday, with Keith Abney getting a look at safety against Arizona, and that’s another area Detroit may continue to examine.
There is at least some relief on the way. Branch is expected to return to practice next week after the bye, and when he’s back, he could give Sheppard’s defense the jolt it badly needs.
In Other News...
Lions Have One Frustrating Problem To Fix Coming Out Of Bye
The bye week arrives with the Lions feeling good about their latest result, but also staring at a familiar issue that has kept their offense from getting out of the gate cleanly. Through five games, Detroit has moved the ball well enough to rank among the leagues more productive attacks overall, yet the opening quarter has been a noticeably different story, with the offense needing to find a better rhythm before it settles in.
A lot of the frustration has come from the same place each week: early negative plays that stall drives before they really start. Sacks and penalties have repeatedly put the Lions behind the sticks, forcing them to play catch-up long before the second half even arrives. Fixing that first stretch after the break could make the rest of the offense look a lot more like the version Detroit has expected all along. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Look Dangerous Again But One Concern Still Wont Go Away
After a sluggish opening, Detroit settled in and did what good teams do to teams it should beat, rolling past Arizona 45-21 by scoring on seven straight drives. Sam LaPorta, Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams all helped fuel the surge, and Gibbs in particular kept the Cardinals on their heels with repeated big plays on the ground as the Lions found their rhythm and never really gave it back.
The defense also did enough to tilt the game, finishing with five sacks and taking away Arizonas top rushers, but the box score still left a familiar itch. Even in a comfortable win, the secondary gave up nearly 300 passing yards, which is the kind of leak Detroit cannot afford to ignore if it wants this recent offensive burst to mean something beyond one impressive Sunday. [Read more 🡒]
Jameson Williams Just Got A Win Lions Fans Will Love
Jameson Williams got a small but meaningful off-field victory this week, successfully appealing two NFL fines tied to his celebrations against the Buffalo Bills. The league had originally hit the Lions receiver for what it viewed as improper conduct, but the fines were rescinded after the appeal process, adding another wrinkle to a season where Detroits playmakers have been under plenty of scrutiny for how they carry themselves in big moments.
The ruling also lands at a time when the NFL and NFLPA have been trying to draw cleaner lines around celebration rules, with a recent joint statement spelling out which gestures cross the line and which ones fit within the leagues sportsmanship standards. Appeals officer Derrick Brooks overturned the penalties but still urged Williams to keep his celebrations professional, a reminder that even when a player wins the fight, the league is still watching the details closely. [Read more 🡒]