The Detroit Lions defense did a pretty solid job overall defensively in Green Bay in Week 1. But it was critical mistakes and individual breakdowns that led to too many errors in Detroit’s 27-13 loss to the Packers.
New coordinator Kelvin Sheppard, in his first regular season press conference, noted the issues with giving up big plays or failing in key moments ruined what was a pretty impressive statistical performance. The stats certainly agree, as Sheppard cited,
“We played 47 snaps defensively and they had 188 passing yards, 78 rushing. If you look at an NFL game and you tell me the Green Bay Packers are going to have 188 passing yards and 78 rushing, did you play a winning brand of football? I would tell you yes.”
That, of course, isn’t what happened. Sheppard noted the two plays where cornerback Terrion Arnold was beaten, as well as some other key letdowns. The inability to generate pressure was a recurring theme.
One area where Sheppard noted the Lions must improve is the blitz. Detroit’s linebackers–Jack Campbell, Alex Anzalone and Derrick Barnes–were wildly ineffective at blitzing QB Jordan Love and the Packers. Per PFF, Anzalone and Campbell each blitzed Love five times. Neither recorded a single QB pressure. Barnes generated one QB hurry in his eight pass rush attempts. Safety Brian Branch blitzed twice and failed to generate pressure on either, too.
That’s not nearly good enough, and Sheppard knows it.
“You just gave us the stats. What were those outstanding stats? We got what, two pressures? Got to be better,” Sheppard enthused about his blitzers. “Got to be better. You get your number called, you’ve got to be better, point-blank period. That’s also been addressed.”
Blitzing won’t be simple against the Bears in Week 2, with a mobile QB in Caleb Williams who might present a bigger threat with his legs than his arm. Sheppard is preparing his defense for that, and he doesn’t want any excuses. Accountability is a very big thing for the longtime NFL linebacker.
“As long as we go out and execute, not say, ‘Well if you take out that play, you take out that play, we would’ve played dominant.’ No, let’s put in all the plays and play a dominant brand of football like I believe we’re capable of doing as a defense.”
This article originally appeared on Lions Wire: Kelvin Sheppard knows the Lions defense must blitz more effectively
Reporting by Jeff Risdon, Lions Wire / Lions Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
