Detroit Lions Set To Be Without Key Defender For ‘A Long Time’

If losing Arnold wasn’t a big enough blow, Campbell added that fellow Cornerback Khalil Dorsey will also be “out for a while.” This secondary is suddenly looking thinner than a supermodel’s patience. With D.J. Reed already on IR, the Lions are staring at a defensive backfield held together by hope and duct tape.

So who’s left to hold down the fort? The Lions will now have to lean heavily on Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, Tre Flowers, and Nick Whiteside. Robertson, who played every defensive snap against the Bengals, is a perfect example of the team’s current predicament. He managed to snag an interception but also got torched by Ja’Marr Chase for a 62-yard touchdown. After the game, Robertson owned his mistake, calling himself “greedy” and vowing to fix it. You have to love the accountability, but it highlights the razor-thin margin for error the Lions are now working with.

The Campbell Philosophy: No Excuses

Of course, if you are looking for sympathy, you’ve come to the wrong head coach. Campbell’s response was exactly what you’d expect: “This train doesn’t stop for anybody. Nobody cares, nobody feels sorry for you.”

It’s that “next man up” mentality, a phrase so common in football it’s practically a cliché, but in Detroit, it’s a way of life. Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard echoed that sentiment, noting that the defense has been “all in from the start.” Seeing results on the field has only strengthened their resolve. When guys see that the system works, they buy in even harder.

That’s all well and good, but a system is only as strong as the players running it. While the Lions might scrape by during the regular season, the big question looms: Is this patched-up secondary good enough to make a real Super Bowl run? The train might not stop, but without some serious help at cornerback, it might just derail before it reaches its final destination.