His entire press conference today was … off. I’ve never seen him look so defeated.
https://x.com/lions/status/1995243880397070347?s=46&t=XNaCYqjbnQMZs3PB8Kzlfg
That clip sounds fine to me.
3 Likes
He is in the grief stage. The team looked great last year, 15 wins!
Then Ben left, All-pro Oline gone, now ARSB injured, Kerby injured all year basically. The team is cooked this year. That’s a tough pill to swallow.
So he needs to focus on what lessons can be learned so that next year can bounce back. I mean let’s think about a 3rd place schedule. Could be another 13-14 win year.
5 Likes
I had an observation,when he read his own play calling it seems his face looks sad , I am not seeing that energy in play calling ..This Thursday if he is not ready then I will accept and move on
1 Like
Positive take. Last year we won 15 games and Dan sounded like Rick Flair at times.
We lost immediately in the playoffs.
This shit aint over yet
6 Likes
I was thinking the same thing when I watched it. Damn.
I think he realizes what all of us do, this next game against Dallas is essentially the start of the playoffs for them. Win one at a time and keep going.
Not sure what anyone else would want him to say besides what he said.
2 Likes
Good
That means losses hurt him
5 Likes
Dan and Brad both have an opportunity to learn from this year, and they are talented enough to have garnered this result on their first go around… so I have complete faith in their 2nd Act-
We are 6M over the cap already next year without any restructures. Maybe Brad and Dan realized they weren’t a J Phillips trade away from being SB contender. Say what you want but AQM has more combined sacks and TFL on the year than Phillips and the Eagles were 6-2 before the trade and 2-2 since…? Using carryover cap and a 2nd rounder for an 8-9 games rental who won’t have 8 sacks when the year is done seems like the smart move to me…
Ben- Randle El- AG- T Williams
Frank
That’s a lot of overcome…
Mac and Hutch coming back from big injuries… Decker, Glass and Sewell getting banged up all year… Laporta missing half the year… Kerby missing half the year or more.. Reed missing nearly half the year…Mahogany missing a ton of the year
I bet we give Dallas a game, if not deliver a big win, and I’m pretty confident we pull it out…
Goff is playing Pro Bowl plus level football with no OL and key weapons on the shelf, and I bet both Jamo and Teslaa inspire more confidence going into 2026…
K Joseph is a real concern I hope it’s not a Gurley type issue
I bet we go get a young mind at OC… we may be looking at vet DCs if Shep doesn’t right the ship
Hutch, Branch, McNeill, Reader, dbs doesn’t seem as prepared with Shep, though Jack looks much better
I believe this off-season we will see the Villain and MCDC back in full affect
in the meantime it’s any given Sunday Rams just lost to Carolina
5 Likes
Hes like I miss Ben.
Im not sure ben would fix this with the oline issues all year.
The thing is these are really excuses. The offense is ranked 4th in yards and pts/game, they are doing what they should do against average - below average defenses. The problem is the good defenses are out coaching us, period.
On defense, we had all of our starters minus Kerby back and still laid an egg against the Giants and the Packers. The defense is regressing and honestly I don’t think anyone on this forum can point to the issue except it’s Shep.
I don’t buy Hutch coming back from injury, he was supposedly so dominate in camp we had the “Hutch” rule
I will give you Alim, but as we saw he was at DE for 40% of his snaps, this goes back to Shep.
Summary: We miss Ben more than everyone thought we would and Shep is having major growing pains in his first year as DC
2 Likes
Hes like thanks Holmes then
I don’t think you understand his strength. Just might take.
100%- I explained why Dan seems… not Dan
replacing Ben was always going to be really hard, but it’s clear even Dan underestimated how good Ben was.
They will either come out strong and look really great or they won’t…. I promise it’s not a lack of DC being aware of them no longer “being the hunted” on 2025.
The offense will either adjust massively the next 5 weeks, or Dan will have no choice to look in the mirror. He called the plays in late 2021 and half of 2025 season… we are only averaging 22.3 ppg over the last 3…
Shep will either figure out how to get us back to 4-5 sacks, and legion of whom level play the next 5, or he likely won’t be a DC
- if they finish 10-7 and miss the playoffs while stumbling on offense and struggling on defense- then it’s either new coordinators with fresh schemes, or it’s may be an end of an era
Morton nor Shep have not had any success at their level of responsibility, and with this talent in place, it would be irresponsible not to upgrade and take the search outside of the organization and very seriously.
4 Likes
Shep is not getting replaced, it’s just not happening… I half expect Morton to be back, I put that at 50/50… Shep is a lock to be back at DC
4 Likes
I think you are right. Shep is learning on the fly and DC will give him time. It would be nice to see DC bring someone in to mentor him, like an advisor. Rex Ryan would be great to bring in.
I also think Morton is a lock to return. The question will be if DC gives him back play calling.
1 Like
I want a complete restart on the defensive side of the ball (Dan needs to be open to new ideas and approaches on that side of the ball) - I look at what Saleh is doing with the 49ers (again) and he’s down Bosa/Warner.
On offense, the O-line needs to be shored up and we’ll be fine. If Dan wants to keep calling plays, he has to have an established guy running the show on defense.
1 Like
Dan should give him the play calling back NOW- he made better decisions while focusing as the HC…
It’s clear the personnel is more the issue than the plays imo. Without blocking the play calls are more limited.
1 Like
Dan knows football. He isn’t a dumb guy.
He also knows Brad Holmes didn’t do what he needed to do to keep up with Chicago, GB, LA, Seattle, Dallas, etc., this off-season/trade deadline. He just didn’t. Brad dropped the ball big time with the roster and didn’t help Dan out at all.
Dan, being a smart and loyal guy, can’t say anything, because this is his job and that’s his boss. He’s in a bad spot right now.
3 Likes