Kelvin Sheppard: Questions about Lions’ defense are ‘ultra disrespectful’

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Kelvin Sheppard: Questions about Lions’ defense are ‘ultra disrespectful’

Originally posted on Larry Brown Sports | By Dan Benton | Last updated Oct 9, 2026 7:35 AM ET

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard spent Thursday rejecting the idea that quarterback Jared Goff and the offense have to prop up his unit, describing that framing as “ultra disrespectful.”

Four games in, the numbers are difficult to argue around. Detroit is allowing 423.8 yards per game, the highest figure in the league, and 304 of those yards are coming through the air, also the league’s worst mark and more than 20 clear of the next team.

Points allowed sit at 31.8 per game, 31st.

The Lions are 2-2 after a 32-26 loss to Carolina, a night when the Panthers piled up 445 yards and 28 first downs. Three opponents have already reached 30 points. Detroit’s own offense has cleared 26 in all four weeks, including the two wins.

Sheppard was asked directly about the carrying narrative and brushed the outside noise aside.

"I think that's ultra disrespectful to my unit to say someone has to carry us,"

Lions Defensive Coordinator Kelvin Sheppard responded to a question about the perception that the offense will have to carry the team with the defense ranking last in the NFL pic.twitter.com/N82kIXyvgB
— Alex Crescenti (@alex_crescenti) October 8, 2026

“I could care less about perceptions. I could care less about the talk. It’s all poison,” Sheppard said. “We have a three-phase team here and I fully believe that. I’m going to stand strong in that belief. I think that’s ultra disrespectful to my unit to say someone has to carry us. We’re going to do our one-third here. Hell or high water. Point blank, period.”

He told players that praise belongs in the same category. Sheppard stood by the pressure calls against Bryce Young, declined to open those discussions publicly, and still said the start is nowhere near the standard set in camp.

Sheppard credited the defensive line and said the back end has not cashed in on that work, with safety Brian Branch nearing a return.

Dan Campbell’s message has been simpler: Get defenders aligned correctly. Until that shows up on Sundays, Sheppard’s insistence that this is a three-phase team will keep meeting the same rankings.

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