Of the “I believe in Kelvin Sheppard” line. The last 8 games sucked. I agree. But to dismiss the first 8-9 and only focus on the last is disingenuous IMO. Not that the first half was elite, but it wasn’t horrible
I liked the hire from the jump, and I’m more than willing to eat my crow after this season. But playing more nickel wouldn’t have mattered once Kerby went down. And even worse when Branch went down.
He doesn’t have a full deck to start this season, our safties seem pretty dreadful as opposed to the last couple seasons. But that’ll be the mark of a great DC. Getting the most out of nothing. Or almost nothing.
I like the guy. I believe in him. Stand up like Abe Lincoln and profess your confidence in the hair!
Ok ok… confidence might be a little to far. But i think he has earned another shot. And I look forward to seeing what he can do.
I am certainly not as out on him as most on here, but I wouldn’t call myself a full on believer yet either. But I’m nowhere near ready to write him off, we live in an impatient world and sometimes coaches, like players, take time.
I’ve gotta admit, going thru a divorce and a move during the 2nd half of the season last year meant I didn’t pay as close attention during the really bad stretch. The last game I paid really close attention to was the TB game. I recall after that game everyone’s biggest concern was that Shep would only be with us for the remainder season and then get snatched as the next hot HC candidate. This was based on putting a bunch of practice squad DB’s on the field for that game and completely shutting down Mayfield, who was in the convo for MVP at that point in the season.
Since I wasn’t paying close attention, but knowing injuries got worse on the D side, including all 4 starters in the defensive backfield, as well as the obligitory Davenport injury, what exactly did we expect Shep to do? Scheme can only do so much when dealing with 2nd, 3rd string & practice squad fill ins.
Even now, he’s dealing with half a defensive backfield out to start the season. The guy has had to fight with at least one hand tied behind his back for most of his tenure as DC. I trust DC. If DC believes in Shep, I do too.
Sheppard is going to be fine. Too often we dismiss the growth that players/coaches/coordinators that take place after the first year. I think you will see individual growth as well as flexibility with the players/scheme/health this year. I admit that I think you see far more nickel/dime as well as some 5-2-4 tossed in. I just don’t see the prevalence of 3 linebacker sets this year and I believe that this helps improve our defense. Now watch me be wrong on all counts.
This is where I am at right now on Shep.
But what concerns me is his comment on how he spent the off season reviewing what worked for other teams.
Is Shep just a “follow what others are doing” DC or is he an innovator/adapter that can scheme and game plan on a week to week basis?
Only time will tell but my gut says the first type of DC
I just don’t think he is a Flores/ Spag’t type of DC
The issue does not lay with Shep IMO.
My issue is 100% with BH and MCDC. Why are the Lions “settling” for a young unproven DC who clearly is being asked to be more than he has been or proven to be. Additionally, maybe and just maybe once Shep had 8 games of tape out there the other OCs could see what he was going to do and ripped him to shreds. That is my much bigger concern and also my comment on “boy he was decent the first half” to me it is similar to a rookie hitter in the MLB and how he is tearing it up until about 30 games in and then suddenly the other teams look at the data and see where the kids holes are in his swing and attack that hole.
Again IMO Shep was put into a bad situation. He was wholly unprepared to be a DC in the NFL. And why the Lions settled on him and did not go pursue a top flight guy and let Shep learn for a few more years is beyond me.
I think that is reading a lot into the quote, or assuming a lot, based on our hesitation or doubt on him. Which I get. I didn’t see it as following what others are doing.
I think it means he looked at his first year as a dc and then studied each game and decisions made. Then went and studied other defenses based on what he saw as his weaknesses and how others adjusted. Use that information to see where he could have done better. I didn’t take it as he he had never done this prior, my speculation of course. You grow into the job, we all do in our own careers and I think he is doing the same.
Shep’s willingness to adapt at the end of last season and not stubbornly stay in the same 4-3 cover 1 crap we’ve had to watch get burned the last five years before that makes me have some belief in him as a DC.
I believe in a certain kind of defense in the modern NFL, and if Shep is willing to play that style of defense (which it’s looking like we’re shifting more towards this fall) then I’ll believe in him completely.
