Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard talked a lot this offseason about the explosive plays Detroit's defense allowed last season and how limiting those was a big point of emphasis in 2026.
The fact that those explosive plays are still being allowed at too high a clip to begin this season – 23 combined by Sheppard's count – is concerning for the second-year coordinator.
It's why Monday was an airing out of sorts between defensive coaches and players at the Meijer Performance Center.
"What we chose to do is go in as a staff and attack the kind of extra days that we had as kind of what we would do in the bye week and self-scout," Sheppard said. "Let's really look at it. Why is this stuff happening? Let's not do any finger pointing. No, that's for losers. Let's find solutions. Let's find answers and make sure we have answers for these players Monday when they come back in this building. How are we going to fix it?"
Sheppard and the defensive coaches didn't just show the players the clips and point out the mistakes. They took a different approach.
"Let's turn on the tape, turn on all 23 and just go down the list. Let's bang away. Tell me what you're doing. Tell me what you're supposed to be doing," Sheppard said. "Coaches, don't say a word. Let's let them talk because right now guys, there's a gap. There's a clear gap from meetings and practice, what's taking place at 222 Republic and then gameday."
The result of that film study, according to Sheppard, was 75 percent of the explosives allowed the first two weeks were self-induced from either missed assignments, communication issues or mistakes on their end.
"There was a lot of honesty said out loud in that meeting, player to player, player to coach, coach to player," Sheppard said. "And we hashed out some things."
Several defensive players said this week it was a positive meeting Monday, and they can't wait to get back on the field Sunday against the New York Jets at Ford Field and play a much cleaner brand of football - their brand of defensive football.
"That was a time for us to look at ourselves and see the mistakes we've made," veteran cornerback Roger McCreary said. "We didn't like the outcome (the first two games) and we have to correct ourselves and that's exactly what happened.
"We looked at our mistakes, talked about as a group, we didn't go to separate position groups, we talked about it as a defense. Talked about what we were thinking in the moment so everyone can be on the same page, and I feel like everything was laid out there for everybody."
DIRTY WORK
Through two games, wide receiver Isaac TeSlaa has just six targets and two catches despite playing 101 total offensive snaps.
Lions associate head coach and wide receivers coach Scottie Montgomery said this week that TeSlaa's lack of production has more to do with the fact that Detroit is extremely deep when it comes to weapons in the passing game. TeSlaa is essentially fifth in line behind Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta and Jahmyr Gibbs.
Just because TeSlaa isn't racking up the targets and receptions doesn't mean he isn't playing a key role in the offense. He does a lot of the dirty work, especially in the run game, which garnered praise from both offensive coordinator Drew Petzing and Montgomery this week.
"If you go watch our tape, right now he's playing harder than damn near anybody we have on our offensive side of the ball," Montgomery said. "He is mixing it up. He's physical. And that's what you have to do when you're in that role. A lot of guys have never played in that role. This role can be different for a lot of reasons."
Montgomery said it's rare for outside receivers like TeSlaa to stretch the field and block in the box. It's freed up St. Brown in some situations and look at the production St. Brown's had the first two weeks. He leads the NFL with 19 receptions and is tied for the league lead with four touchdown catches.
"Funny thing, I was talking to my buddy, Hayden Large, he's an undrafted guy plays tight end for the Bears and came from Iowa, and him and I were talking the other day about how trying hard is a skill not everyone has," TeSlaa said this week when asked about his role in the offense.
"Being a try hard at the end of the day. That's kind of always been my mindset. That's kind of how I've gotten myself into this position. I remember being at the Senior Bowl and Brad Holmes talking about how I wasn't necessarily the most skilled receiver but I was his favorite receiver because I was going and I was just ... on the field digging out safeties and blocking and being a problem in that aspect of the game.
"That's something I've always taken pride in regardless if I'm getting the ball or not. That's just my mindset. I'm just going to do whatever to help out this team whether that's catching balls, whether that's blocking, whether that's running clear outs or doing whatever I need to do to help the guys out."
EXTRA POINTS
- Wild stat of the week. The Jets have run 68 offensive plays in which they have held the lead entering Week 3, according to NFL Research. That's already more offensive plays with a lead than they had in all of 2025 (66). New York leads the NFL in average time of possession (36:48) through the first two weeks of the season.
- Sunday will be Dan Campbell's 100th career game as an NFL head coach and he's one win away from becoming the fourth head coach in Lions history with 50 career wins, joining Wayne Fontes (66), Potsy Clark (53) and George Wilson (53).
