The Detroit Lions are turning the page on the loss to the Minnesota Vikings last week and are focused on the Washington Commanders. Looking at film throughout the week is how players and coaches know the areas they need to improve at, and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard called out veteran cornerback Terrion Arnold on where he needs to get better.
On Thursday, Sheppard said Arnold's run defense is "unacceptable" and that the 22-year-old defender "knows that," according to Nolan Bianchi of the Detroit News.
Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard Calls Out Where Terrion Arnold
This was Arnold's first game back in three weeks after dealing with a shoulder injury, but that doesn't mean anything. His coaches expect him to produce when he's out on the field, and that hasn't been the case for Arnold this season.
In the loss to the Vikings, Arnold finished with three total tackles but had his highest missed tackle percentage (60%) of the season. In addition, Pro Football Focus had Arnold log season lows in tackling grade (24.3) and run-defense grade (26.4). Those numbers are unacceptable but are in par with how he's been against the run. In 2025, Arnold's run defense grade is 43.2 (99th among 107 graded cornerbacks).
Sheppard's statements are clearly true and are an area where he needs to get better at. The Lions' DC gave Arnold some love as a pass defender, but that's also been an area where he needs to improve as well. The Alabama product has allowed 20 catches (34 targets) for 314 receiving yards (15.7 yards per reception) with one touchdown. And that's with him missing three games.
Earlier in the season, head coach Dan Campbell said that Arnold was going to get better, but it was going to take some time to get there. That seems to remain true, and the coaching staff is staying patient with him. Yet that doesn't mean they won't call him out when he needs to play better.
That's the case here, and the Lions know it. It's been a shaky year and a half for Arnold in Detroit, but the coaches have faith in him. Is that belief warranted? Or will it become an obvious misstep?
Arnold's play needs to improve in specific areas, and he knows that. The coaches have shown they aren't going to shy away from calling him out, and sometimes that means saying things to the media. Now it's all about how Arnold responds to this going forward.