"Grit, pressure, nasty."

Something clicked for Detroit Lions cornerback Roger McCreary and the secondary in Week 5.

Over the first four weeks of the season, McCreary, who signed a one-year contract with Detroit in the offseason after spending the 2025 season with the Tennessee Titans and Los Angeles Rams, said it took him some time to adjust to Kelvin Sheppard's defense. The secondary battled adversity with injuries and learning how to play together as a unit. Opposing offenses knew they could attack that area of Detroit's defense, especially when the run game stalled, McCreary said.

The slow start and outside criticism didn't derail the secondary. Sticking together and figuring out what worked for them was just the beginning of the process, and in Arizona, they played with an identity they've searched for so far this season.

Leading up to that game, head coach Dan Campbell turned up the intensity at practice. Even with the bye week on the horizon, the defense and coaching staff didn't want to take on a mentality of 'Next week, we're going to get better,' McCreary said.

There was a different energy out on the practice field, cornerback Keith Abney II said. While the intensity increased, so did the celebrations on defense as a collective. When one guy made a play, it motivated the rest of them to do the same. All of that translated over into the game.

"You could tell that week was so focused on 'Alright, we going back to our DNA.' And that's exactly how we played. That's our DNA," McCreary said. "Man, sticky coverage, pressure on the quarterback, work all together with d-line and linebackers. I feel like that was our DNA … showing everybody that we ain't go nowhere. We just had to get it together and be on the same page."

Against the Cardinals, McCreary showed the type of player he is. He had a franchise-record-tying performance in the Lions' 45-21 victory. His six pass breakups matched Bryant Westbrook's single-game record from Oct. 19, 2000. McCreary totaled six tackles in the contest.

Throughout training camp and the preseason, McCreary proved he could hold his own at both outside cornerback and nickel, but knew his best chance was with the latter.

"Nickel is where I can make the most plays," he said. "Run, pass, you involved with mostly everything."

The adjustments the defense made really highlighted McCreary's strengths and gave him a confidence boost he hopes to carry throughout the rest of the season.

The Lions played more man coverage in Week 5 than in any other matchup so far this season. Through their first four games on average, per TruMedia, Detroit played zone coverage 79.9 percent of defensive snaps and man 20.1 percent. Against the Cardinals, they were in man for 50.9 percent of defensive snaps and zone just 49.1 percent of the time.

"That's one of my strengths, playing man … we definitely played a lot of man (in Arizona). Six PBUs, that's something I never did," McCreary said. "We're not going to do it every play, we're going to mix it up of course, but that's going to be our identity … and I'm happy we're going to be continue doing it."

The increase of man coverage in Week 5 seemed to alleviate some stress between defensive backs as well as between the defensive front and secondary.

"The main thing I saw was the energy. I feel like it started at practice and then it just carried over to the game," Abney said. "Guys flying around, playing energetic and I feel like it was contagious. A fast, physical, energetic defense is hard to beat."

Abney said he's seen the growth from the Lions' defense and secondary week after week. As a rookie experiencing the NFL for the first time, he said the continuous grit and effort put towards getting better pushes him to advance his game.

For the first time since Week 1 vs. the New Orleans Saints, Abney saw the field on gameday. He made his first NFL start at safety, despite previously playing cornerback at Arizona State. He's cross-trained at both positions throughout the start of the season, but said it doesn't matter where he plays as long as it helps Detroit win.

Abney made the most of his start, playing in front of family and friends who were at the game in Arizona. He logged his first NFL interception, totaled five solo tackles and defended one pass in the contest.

"I just want to go out there and do my job, execute, bring a lot of ball production, bring a lot of energy. So, that's really what I've been trying to do when I'm out there," Abney said. "And as far as the defense, I think the guys are just flying around and being more energetic and just playing off each other. Guys are having fun out there."

Detroit's defense entered the Week 6 bye on a high note, but the work for the secondary has just begun.

McCreary and Abney said the bye, though early, was a good time to decompress and take a look at what the secondary has put on tape through the first five weeks. They said that self-scouting is a huge part of it, making sure each player holds themselves accountable, cleans up their mistakes and takes a step forward so the entire defense can improve.

"That's what good secondaries do," Abney said. "When everybody's on the same page and everybody's working together and just knowing where each other's going to be and what they're thinking, that is what helps secondaries play at a high level … thinking the same thing at the same time and seeing the same vision."

With an extra week to prepare for a division game against the Green Bay Packers, McCreary and Abney said they're looking forward to carrying that Week 5 energy over into Sunday's game when the Lions are back home at Ford Field.

"Along the way, we just believed in ourselves, we kept pushing every week, blocked out the outside noise and just stuck together," McCreary said. "We showed our true identity (in Arizona). We just have to feed off that going into this rivalry (vs. Green Bay)."