With top CBs D.J. Reed and Terrion Arnold out with injuries, the Detroit Lions’ secondary has been depleted. But to Kelvin Sheppard, adapting is nothing new. Although man-to-man coverage is the Lions’ very DNA, the DC now emphasizes sending multiple Lions after the opponent QB on at least 39% of the pass snaps compared to blitzes on just 18% dropbacks. However, that strategic adjustment has now put them under the NFL’s keen eyes.

According to Lions’ beat writer Ben Raven, “Lions DC Kelvin Sheppard said all the strip-sacks aren’t by mistake. He said NFL sent a memo with a Jack Campbell video to make sure they are punching the ball, not the player, “whatever that means.””

Speaking with reporters on Friday, Sheppard revealed the news. However, the DC wasn’t inclined to change the team’s aggressive approach this year. Instead, he clearly stated what he wishes from Campbell moving forward.

“Look at Jack. I mean, they just sent out a memo and the tape — I mean, the way Jack is doing it — it’s violent, it’s aggressive, and it’s the way we play,” Sheppard said. “We won’t make excuses, and I hope it continues to show up and I hope it upticks as we progress in the season.”

Although no play was specified, there are quite a few examples of the Campbell and Lions going full throttle on their opponents.

For instance, in their Week 5 win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Lions’ No. 46 first pressured QB Jake Browning, then as the latter threw towards his teammate Chase Brown, Campbell quickly ran to him and forced a turnover. Meanwhile, Brown was also being double-teamed by the Lions’ No. 23. But according to Campbell, the NFL doesn’t take into account that if he was even punching other players, they have pads on, which would only hurt him back.

“I don’t know how many people have played in an NFL game, but when you’re going full speed and you’re trying to get the ball out, punch-outs are hard to come by. So I don’t really care,” Campbell said when asked about the play via Audacy’s Will Burchfield. “I’m gonna keep punching. And if I miss it, ‘F’ it. Screw it… I’ll probably have 150 personal fouls by the end of the year, so that’ll be fun.”

This is not an isolated case.

Against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 6, Aidan Hutchinson continued his streak of five straight games with a sack, setting a single-season franchise record and bringing his total to 6.0 this year. On a 2nd & 8 play, when the DE returned to the game with 8:23 remaining in the second quarter, he displayed the team’s latest strategy on full display.

With Patrick Mahomes still figuring out who to pass the ball to, the Lions’ No. 27 pressured the QB while also going against the KC Chiefs TE Noah Gray. The commentators revealed it there itself as they said how Hutchinson was making a good living out of snatching the ball out of QBs’ hands. However, it is important to note that he was not hitting the QBs’ bodies.

He had already done it twice against Cleveland.

The signs are clear: while the Lions’ defense is succeeding in creating turnovers with their ball-first approach, the league is still cautious, reminding players to focus on punching the ball rather than going after the QB. Even so, under Sheppard, the Lions’ defense has been effective. Hutchinson summed it up perfectly.

“You know, every year there’s an emphasis,” the DE said. “I mean, it’s the NFL. Everybody knows how crucial takeovers are. But I don’t know. I just think this year we’re doing it, you know, and we’re being about it, which is why we’ve had a good amount of success.”

Honestly, the numbers back it up!

The Lions’ defense currently ranks 4th in sacks generated (19). Their defense, as a whole, is among the top ten teams compared to 20th place last season. Punching properly or not, Campbell is key to the Lions’ defense. After six weeks, he is leading the team with 56 combined tackles, along with three tackles for loss, two sacks, two forced fumbles, and one fumble recovery.

But it’s not just the Lions who have completely accepted this new identity.

Earlier this month, the San Francisco 49ers iced a game against the Los Angeles Rams when DL Alfred Collins landed a punch on the facemask of RB Kyren Williams, leading to a fumble.

While their defense is on a high, the Lions will now play in Week 7 with a key absence on their defense.

Dan Campbell’s safety won’t play against the Buccaneers

The Lions entered Kansas City with a four-game win streak after a Week 1 loss to make what many believe could possibly be this season’s crucial postseason game. But the frustration got the better of their safety Brian Branch after a 30-17 defeat. The safety punched receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster following the game-ending kneeldown, triggering a larger skirmish between the two teams.

Consequently, the league suspended the 23-year-old for one game without pay. While he appealed for the same, Jordy Nelson, the longtime receiver who now works as an appeals officer for the league, upheld the ruling. Branch won’t be suiting up against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 7.

“I did a real childish thing,” Branch said regarding starting the scuffle. “I’m tired of people doing stuff in between plays, and refs don’t catch it. They be trying to bully me out there. I shouldn’t have did it, it was childish.”

Now, the Lions will enter a tough matchup against the 5-1 Buccaneers in hopes of delivering despite missing key components of their team as the NFL watches them closely.