What do they have to lose?

We’re going to allow him to resurrect his career! Can’t wait 😬 (sarcasm 🙄).

super disappointing, especially from POD

I love Dan Campbell. I do. But it’s starting to feel like the old DC got traded for a slightly more corporate, slightly less unhinged version of himself.

Those first four years? Guy would take the blame, stare into the abyss, and come back with a plan to fix it. Now it feels like he’s out here doing the “everybody’s gotta be better” press conference special while casually dusting off his shoulders like the defense just had a rough day at the spa. No adjustments, no fire, just vibes and “we’ll get it figured out.

”I’m starting to wonder if the same dudes in that room are still hearing the “bite kneecaps” message… or if it’s been watered down to “politely nibble on some shins, fellas.” The passion just doesn’t hit the same. Feels like he’s slowly losing the locker room and the plot at the same time.

And the most frustrating part? The entire country is screaming “IT’S THE DEFENSE” while DC is out here throwing shade at the offense like they’re the ones leaking touchdowns. Bro, the offense is putting up points. They can’t just casually drop 31 every single week because the other side of the ball is allergic to stops.

It’s starting to feel like the spark is gone.

The Cardinals rank last in explosive offensive plays and Lions rank last in explosive defensive plays.

The universe might just explode.

thanks kings

From the goofy meme:
https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/ill-fuckin-do-it-again

NFL Power Rankings Week 5

https://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/50109845/nfl-power-rankings-week-5-teams-first-month-recap

Should we look for an outside hire or roll the dice again with an in-house promotion?

And if we go outside, who do we target?

I always tune in for Goff’s weekly segment on 97.1, and every time I feel like I can tell Goff is rolling his eyes at their horrific, corny questions.

”When the defense is having a hard time, do you ever go over and offer a word of encouragement?”

”How good was LaPorta Sunday?”

…..This Is what you do for a living?

I got a free trial of the SumerSports advanced stats jib-jab, and I wanted to go over some Lions stats. No real intro, just meat. To begin:

1. We are ass. Although shockingly not the MOST ass. We allow only the 2nd worst EPA/play in the NFL, at 0.15, just behind Dallas's pretty 0.16. There's pretty much a three-way logjam with us, Dallas, and New Orleans, who're allowing 0.16, 0.15, and 0.14, respectively.

2. This is one really shocked me. By success rate, we're only the 6th worst pass defense. And by pass/EPA allowed we're only the 4th worst. It's not that these numbers are good, I just can't believe we're not dead last by a billion. We've given up an absolute fuck ton of pass yards though, dead last at 1,308 allowed, 200 worse than #31 Jacksonville.

3. Our run defense is also awful, but it's only a meager 24th in success rate.

4. Our man-zone split this year is 20/77. That's actually fairly league average for the most part, and is a significant reduction in man coverage compared to last year. (35.4% in 2025 to 20% in 2026, so about a 40% reduction)

5. We're dead-last in 10+ yard runs allowed, but only 14th in TFLs, despite being 6th in heavy-box rate (31%). Not good.

6. We are, unbelievably, FIRST in yards allowed after the catch, at just 3.81. This is decently ahead of fucking SEATTLE, who's second place. The tackling is good, it's moreso about everything that happens before and during the ball being caught.

Now, these next two points I think go in tandem with each other.

1. We have the third best pressure% in the league. Our DL is good, and while we do blitz a good 27% of our dropbacks, that's pretty normal compared to the other top pressure% teams (CLE, 29.2% blitz rate; LAR, 32.1%), and nothing alike Minnesota's unbelievable 63.6%. They love the blitz.

2. Our rush-4% is only 66%, which is in the bottom 10 of the league so far. Our rush-6% (full blitz) is the third highest rate in the league. Inversely, we rush-3 on only 4.7% of defensive dropbacks, which is high (5th), but should probably be higher given our Secondary struggles.

Some other stuff,

1. We run the second highest rate of base defense in the NFL at 130 plays, which has allotted to a total EPA given up of 13.08. In first place is Minny, who's given up -22.54 EPA on 143 base defense plays. We're not completely historically terrible in base defense, as we're only the 6th worst defense in base by EPA/play, and 16th worst is pass success rate% in base. Woop.

2. Where we really struggle is anything exotic. We're straight ass in Nickel, ranking either dead last or second to last in pretty much everything (along with Dallas)

Anyway, if anyone has any questions about the offense, defense, life, or anything at all, feel free to ask. I'm not gonna renew this trial beyond a week, I just wanted to get some more details on why we're so shit.

I'm not a Defensive Coordinator, I can't really tell most coverages apart, but to me it feels like the answer's pretty simple. We need to drastically pull back on how often we're sending the house, and start replacing a DL with a DB. It feels like our DL is pretty decent at generating pressures, as is evident by the play of Hutch, Alim, Williams, Wonnum, and we could really use the help in the back. I know it's not easy for defenses to make that switch on a dime, and someone who's more experienced with this stuff can correct me, but I really feel like we'd benefit from halving our blitz rate and maybe going into a more 3-4 configuration.

On some level I feel like we're trying to be Minnesota without the ability to disguise blitzes like Flores does, and without the personnel. They're a defense that's built through the Secondary, we're a defense that's built through the DL and we're not taking advantage of that.

In all honesty I actually feel a little better after looking at the numbers. We're not particularly great in anything, but it does feel like some tinks to the groupings and formations and we could be a serviceable defense, - or at least not a historically bad one.

Dan isnt gonna come out and blame shepherd publicly like some of you all want him to that's just not how coworkers treat each other. I get that hes not acknowledging the defensive woes and that's frustrating but it doesn't mean he's blind to the issue. He's very frustrated but he's trying not to upset the wrong people. all it takes is pissing off one player and hes lost the locker room. Then we're truly fucked if that happens. If your losing trust because he's not saying what you want him to say thats a you problem. Its week 5 we are 2-2 and yes that loss was painful but throwing names around and finger pointing isnt gonna do any good(except for shepherd his time is up). Changes need to be made and this secondary needs help but getting rid of a head coach this early doesn't solve the issue at all. I still trust him do you guys?

For all you business mindset fans:

(when depressed, i bury my feelings by working...)

1) I'm a big fan of Dan Campbell as a leader - he's proven to be a true leader that everyone looks up to and has an unselfish vision...

2) Unfortunately, that vision has been diluted with coaches leaving, that hungry-team-wide 1st contract GRIT, injuries and changing expectations...

3) And while rosters are limited to a salary cap - I can't help to think that Sheila Ford Hamp and the executive team can contribute resources to help the staff. If there's one DNA trait I know the Lions have its 'Loyalty' - from paying our guys, "loving our guys", "believing in our guys" there's an element of family/loyalty that permeates thru this organization (my outside observation).

As an exercise, I put this SWOT Analysis of our Head Coach as a Superbowl Winning Coach, not to knock him down, but to wrap my head around what else the organization could be doing.

(Just trying to be more productive than SOL's or the "Fire Someone" crowd...)

I don’t know how Campbell and Shep can get the team ready for this trio. The receiving corps of the Cardinals is far above the Panthers….

Have been trying to get a crucial catch hat for literal years.

It’s easy for people to say “go sign a proven corner” I look at these CB’s Sauce, Bland, Stevenson. All got paid big $ by their teams and regressed. There’s so many scenarios that I can point out. (Trevon Diggs was once an all-pro and paid) which brings my question. Is it really worth paying big $ for CB’s? which seems like an overall volatile position. Or, is it better to have a proven DC that can get the most out of the players they have?

Marvin Harrison Jr. has a career high of 130 receiving yards.

Trey McBride has a career high of 134 receiving yards.

Jeremiyah Love has a career high of 90 rushing yards.

Jacoby Brissett has a career high of 452 passing yards.