D.J. Reed Gets Blunt About Who Is to Blame for Lions Defensive Problems

The Detroit Lions can change coverages. They can adjust personnel, mix up their calls and spend another week searching for a schematic answer to a defense that continues to give up far too much.

D.J. Reed believes the solution is a lot simpler than that.

Detroit surrendered 445 yards in Sunday night’s 32-26 loss to the Carolina Panthers, including 329 through the air. The biggest problem was impossible to miss, as Panthers receiver Tetairoa McMillan caught 14 passes for 192 yards and two touchdowns.

For Reed, that performance wasn’t primarily about defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard’s play calls. It was about the Lions players failing to do their jobs.

Reed was directly asked whether Detroit’s defense is being put in position to succeed during the week. His answer was about as strong of a defense of Sheppard and the coaching staff as he could have delivered.

“Yeah, absolutely. It’s not a coaching thing. It’s a players thing. This game comes down to winning one-on-ones, and that’s what we’ve got to do.

“As a whole collective unit in the secondary, we haven’t been doing that. We’ve just got to be better.”

“Yeah, absolutely. It’s not a coaching thing. It’s a players thing. This game comes down to winning one-on-ones, and that’s what we’ve got to do.

“As a whole collective unit in the secondary, we haven’t been doing that. We’ve just got to be better.”

That answer carries even more weight considering Reed has previously spoken about the multiple issues contributing to Detroit’s defensive struggles. Earlier this season, he discussed communication, explosive plays and individual execution as areas the Lions needed to clean up.

Sheppard has delivered a similar message. He previously identified explosive plays as the single biggest problem hurting Detroit’s defense, while emphasizing the need to close the gap between what players understand during the week and what actually happens on game day.

Sunday offered another painful example.

McMillan did considerably more than simply have a good night. His 192 receiving yards left him just nine yards shy of Steve Smith Sr.’s Panthers single-game franchise record.

Reed put part of that directly on himself.

“That was their best receiver, so yeah, I put a lot of it on me on that touchdown in the first half. Whether it was a push-off or not, it doesn’t matter. He’s a great receiver, so I give credit to him. But me personally, I’ve got to be better for my team.”

“That was their best receiver, so yeah, I put a lot of it on me on that touchdown in the first half. Whether it was a push-off or not, it doesn’t matter. He’s a great receiver, so I give credit to him. But me personally, I’ve got to be better for my team.”

Later, Reed was asked about the larger issue of opposing No. 1 receivers consistently producing against Detroit. He didn’t disagree with the premise.

“We’ve definitely got to take the No. 1 wide receiver away. I agree with you. But ultimately, when you do get one-on-ones, you’ve got to win, and we didn’t do that today.”

“We’ve definitely got to take the No. 1 wide receiver away. I agree with you. But ultimately, when you do get one-on-ones, you’ve got to win, and we didn’t do that today.”

When asked why those receivers continue to have success, Reed again brought the conversation back to execution.

“I can’t really tell you why that’s happening. I just feel like when guys are in position, we’re just not making plays on the ball.”

“I can’t really tell you why that’s happening. I just feel like when guys are in position, we’re just not making plays on the ball.”

That might be the most important part of Reed’s comments.

There will be plenty of debate about Sheppard’s scheme after another rough defensive performance, and some of that comes with the territory when an NFL defense keeps allowing points and explosive plays. But one of Detroit’s veteran cornerbacks is telling everyone that the players are being given an opportunity to succeed.

They simply aren’t succeeding often enough.

Reed isn’t saying Detroit should stop searching for adjustments, either. What he is saying is that no coverage call can save a defense if a receiver gets an opportunity in a one-on-one matchup and the defender loses it.

Against McMillan, Detroit lost far too many of those battles.

Until that changes, it won’t matter nearly as much what Sheppard calls.