Kelvin Sheppard: Seahawks' Defense 'Very Similar System of Ours'

The Detroit Lions played the most base defense in the National Football League in 2025 (60%).

With the Seattle Seahawks winning the Super Bowl playing in heavy nickel packages, there is a growing thought the Lions should modify their defensive coverages.

Don't tell that to defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard.

"It's funny because I keep hearing about this Seattle nickel thing. Do you guys know who their nickel is? Yeah he's 6'3, 225-pounds. It's (Nick) Emmanwori from South Carolina," said Sheppard. "So yeah, they're pretty much playing a 4-3. It's actually a very similar system of ours. I talked to Mike (Macdonald) the other day, and he think it's funny, actually. He's like, 'Yeah, I'm a guru.' But you know, he actually is."

Sheppard expressed he has been praised by many offensive coordinators, including Dan Campbell, for how his defenses challenge opposing offenses.

"Listen, I've been told by every offensive coordinator, including our head coach, the way we play. I've been afforded to have Mike Kafka in the room with me, and he says it's an absolute nightmare," said Sheppard. "Because you're able to dictate to the offense. And that's what the offense tries to do to us by personnel. That's why they're in and out of personnel.

"To be honest with you, a lot of offensive coordinators drew, when you put nickel out there against 12 personnel. That personnel, because of the run game now, is so creative with these guys. It's the reason Sean McVay's kind of switched the trend. I bet you now, everybody's going to try to break out 13 personnel, because the guru did it. But to each his own."

Not copying the Seahawks

Just becuase the Seahawks were able to win a Super Bowl playing their way does not mean Detroit is simply going to follow suit.

Sheppard believes in his defense, and he has been encouraged and empowered to make the changes needed to get the unit playing even better.

But, that does not mean the unit is going to switch and play more nickel.

"It's just the creative ways that you're able to attack people. I think trying to stay ahead of that curve and not necessarily follow anybody because the Seahawks just won the Super Bowl," said Sheppard. "And they played 60 percent, 70 percent nickel with that freak from South Carolina. I probably would have played it, too, if I had him. But no, on a serious note, we have a certain way we do things.

"We're not going to start to follow trends and follow people, because this league's up and down. The last two years, the Super Bowl was won by defensive football. For the five years prior to that, you had to have a quarterback or you couldn't play in this league, right? So, you start to follow people and you lose your identity," Sheppard added. "We have a certain identity, a way we believe in playing, a way that our head coach stamps and believes that you should play. And that's what I'm going to continue to do."