Through the first four games of the season, the Detroit Lions' defense has been far from optimal. To be a bit clearer, it has been absolutely abysmal, horrible, tough to watch, and, in just one word, infuriating.
Whether it has had to do with the injuries, schemes, play-calling, tough luck, or a combination of the above is pretty much irrelevant right now. The fact of the matter is that something must change if they're serious about competing this season.
That's why, much to his disgust, head coach Dan Campbell finally hinted at making some moves. According to Lions insider Jeremy Reisman, he'll use the bye week to assess whether Kelvin Sheppard needs some help.
The Detroit Lions could hire a senior defensive assistant
"Dan Campbell says he hasn't given any thought to adding a senior defensive assistant coach to the staff, but left the door open by saying that next week's bye week will give him a chance to look at everything," Reisman shared on X.
While it's nice to see that Campbell has his guy's back, the mere fact that we're talking about finding outside help four games into the season speaks volumes about the state of the defense. And as much as Brad Holmes should also be held accountable for the roster, it's just not a good look for Sheppard.
The Lions' defensive coordinator drew some buzz before the start of the season, headlining several shortlists as the next potential top assistant to land a head-coaching gig. Unless something major happens in the next three months, that's just not happening.
Before the bye week, Campbell and company will hit the road for a matchup with the struggling Arizona Cardinals. That's a team that has dropped three straight after a surprising Week 1 win over the (still) winless Los Angeles Chargers. That's a game they must not only win but also dominate.
After four weeks, Mike LaFleur's team averages 21.8 points per game (17th) and 305 total yards (24th), but they've put up 26, 30, and 24 points this season. That doesn't bode well for the worst pass defense in the game.
That said, it's also the perfect opportunity to make a statement and show that this team is worth fighting for and that they just need to make some moves to get back on track. Whether that also includes finding a babysitter for the defensive coordinator is a different conversation.
As bad as the Lions have looked this season, there's still plenty of football to be played. Maybe firing Sheppard isn't the answer, and perhaps he's just a victim of circumstances. At this point, that just doesn't matter; something has to change. Now.
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