Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard was under the microscope following the Week 1 loss, as his unit got outplayed by the Green Bay Packers. The Lions’ defense failed to get pressure on Jordan Love (0 sacks and 2 QB hits) and struggled in the red zone (Packers were 3-for-5).
That said, there’s a lot to learn from last week’s loss, and the first-time coordinator admitted as much when speaking to reporters on Thursday morning. “I was pissed. I was ready to scold everybody,” Sheppard said when asked about the defensive performance (h/t Kory Woods of MLive.com).
However, the first-year coordinator added that after he reviewed the game film multiple times, he saw some things that “we’re good.”
Kelvin Sheppard Already Doing Good Job Handling Adversity
The fact that Sheppard took time to re-evaluate what he saw on film, instead of coming in ready to scold everyone, is a good sign for a first-time coordinator. Sheppard didn’t let one bad week give him tunnel vision. The NFL season is a marathon, and not a sprint. There will be peaks and valleys over the next few months.
One of the worst things a new coach can do is start panicking after one game. Now, would he be in the wrong for scolding the players? No, because the unit as a whole didn’t play well, and you had a week to plan for this one opponent.
That said, it’s the first game of the season, and mistakes will happen, especially when starters barely play in the preseason.
The Lions didn’t have their starters playing in the exhibition slate, which means a lot of their work happened during training camp and in joint practices. However, those joint practices are only a snapshot in a controlled setting.
Detroit losing to the Packers might be a good thing in the long run, as it might help them refocus and get back on track. Last year’s team is not this year’s team.
If the Lions want to be successful this season, they’ll need their pass rush to step up, as it will make life easier for their secondary. At the same time, the secondary needs to do better going forward, as they gave up a couple of big passing plays in Week 1.
The good news for Sheppard and Detroit’s defense is that they can fix those issues in Sunday’s game against the Chicago Bears, as they’re familiar with Ben Johnson’s offensive tendencies.