The debate Brad Holmes keeps trying to swat away came roaring back after the Lions’ Week 2 loss to the Bills.
Detroit’s general manager has been firm whenever the phrase “Super Bowl window” gets tossed at him. He rejects the idea every time it surfaces. But the pushback hasn’t stopped people from looking at the roster and asking whether the Lions are making the kind of aggressive moves a team in that position usually makes.
That conversation only got louder after Buffalo handed Detroit a loss that was worse than the final score suggested. The offense started slowly, the defense looked out of sorts, and the result left plenty of questions hanging over Holmes and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.
ESPN analyst Harry Douglas said the quiet part out loud the day after the game on “Get Up”.
"I think the margin for error is very, very thin when it comes to this football team", Douglas said. "And yes, they're missing guys on the back end in their secondary, but they're missing pieces on their defensive line. And I do believe they've missed their Super Bowl window."
Douglas also pointed back to the Lions’ NFC Championship Game loss to the San Francisco 49ers, when Detroit blew a 24-7 halftime lead to close the 2023 season. After that game, head coach Dan Campbell said it may have been their "only shot" to get to or win a Super Bowl. He later pulled back from that idea and has since said he believes the window is still open, but those original words have stuck around.
Host Mike Greenberg added that other NFC teams may have simply passed the Lions over the last couple of seasons.
For Holmes, the bigger issue is that the criticism is not coming out of nowhere. The Lions have not been especially aggressive in free agency, and trade activity has not been a major part of the approach either. At the same time, recent draft misses have made it harder to defend the idea that holding tightly to picks is the best path forward.
The result is a roster with some clear holes and not enough depth to cover them cleanly. And after a loss like the one to Buffalo, that reality is getting harder to ignore.
In Other News...
Caleb Williams Injury Could Open A Huge Door For The Lions
Caleb Williams leaving Sundays game with a hamstring injury changed the feel of the NFC North race in a hurry, and it matters directly to Detroit. The Bears rookie quarterback did not return against Minnesota, forcing Tyson Bagent into the lineup at a time when Chicago was already staring at a difficult stretch on the schedule and trying to keep pace in a division that has little margin for error.
For the Lions, it adds another layer to a race that already looked tight, with Chicago at 1-1 and the Vikings out front at 2-0. Detroit knows how quickly a division can swing on one injury, and if Williams status lingers, the Bears may have to navigate some early-season pressure without the player they built the offense around. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Defense May Force Dan Campbell Into Another Tough Change
Dan Campbell has never been shy about making a hard call when the Lions need one, and this season has already brought another round of coaching adjustments around him. After Aaron Glenn left following the 2024 season, Kelvin Sheppard was elevated to defensive coordinator, but Detroits defense has not settled in the way the team hoped, leaving the staff structure under fresh scrutiny as the season moves along.
The bigger question now is whether Campbell keeps trying to fix the issue from within or decides another change is necessary to get the defense pointed in the right direction. There are a few defensive coaches with coordinator experience who could fit the opening if Detroit chooses to look outside its current setup, and the Lions next move could say as much about the urgency around this unit as anything on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Lions Suddenly Face A Secondary Question Brad Holmes Must Answer
The Lions defensive issues were impossible to ignore after Buffalo exposed cracks in the back end, and now the front office is already looking for answers. Detroit has reportedly started exploring ways to improve its secondary, a move that fits the urgency of a team trying to keep pace in a demanding NFC race while also fixing a unit that did not hold up in its latest major test.
Brad Holmes has already made inquiries about veteran cornerback Kenny Moore, a sign the Lions are not waiting around to see if the problem solves itself. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard also weighed in on blitz strategy as part of the larger conversation about how Detroit can create more stability and pressure, but the bigger question remains whether the roster needs another proven piece before the seasons defensive concerns get any louder. [Read more 🡒]