Lions DC: 'They Gave Me Murderer's Row' Year 1

Detroit Lions DC has another challenging offense to try and limit.

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard on the sidelines during their preseason game against the Dolphins / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images

Detroit Lions defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard is again faced with the challenge of limiting one of the top quarterbacks in the AFC.

Earlier this season, the Lions had their hands full with Baltimore Ravens signal-caller Lamar Jackson. This week, it's Patrick Mahomes and matching up against one of the league's all-time best coaches in Any Reid

Sheppard expressed to reporters this week his first year on the job was certainly not going to be easy.

"Yeah, they gave me murderer’s row my first year as a coordinator, I told people. As far as the play-callers and the quarterbacks, they weren’t going to take it easy on me. But make no mistake guys, we’re going up against a Hall of Fame coach and a Hall of Fame quarterback," said Sheppard. "Right now, if they stop their careers, they are going in the Hall in Canton. So, the utmost respect for these guys - what they’ve done and what they’re currently doing to be able to hold the line."

Sheppard has the utmost respect for the Chiefs coaching staff. He has close ties to Steve Spagnuolo and noted the team would struggle to find any tells or tendencies, based on how all over place the Chiefs scheme can be at times.

"Their standard is championships and to be able to hold that line for almost a decade, we understand how hard that is now in the realm that we’re in here. So, let’s start there. And then as far as schematics, I mean it’s all over the place. You can’t get any tells and tendencies. I’ve always respected and revered (Andy) Coach Reid, but now I see why," said Sheppard. "It’s always the why with me and I always wanted to know why people viewed him in such high regard. Now having to gameplan against him, I see why. It’s unorthodox, he’s going to keep you off-kilter on defense, he’s never going to show his hand."

Mahomes has the ability to identify disguises and can pick apart any defensive scheme with his anticipation and ability to go off-script and still excel.

"What I mean is some coordinators will show you what they’re doing per down and distance, it’s always off-base. And then the off-schedule plays that 15’s able to make, Pat Mahomes, it’s why that offense goes because the play is never over with him. Just when you think it’s over, it’s not," said Sheppard. "And that’s just understanding that and then this is going to be the most explosive group that we’ve seen and probably will see. It’s a track team over there."

Detroit's first-year coordinator recalled during his playing days that Reid always had players that were speedy and quite adept at being able to win games in a variety of ways.

"Andy Reid’s always built his teams like that. When I played in Buffalo, I came out of the tunnel when I was playing Philadelphia and I see Mike Vick, DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, (LeSean) “Shady” McCoy," Sheppard explained. "And now you look up, it’s the same thing.

"I told this to the staff, I looked through those speeds, I saw 4.24, 4.28, 4.32, 4.4. I was like, ‘Woof. Let’s stay deep. Let’s stay back.’ No, but seriously, and that’s how they bleed you. They cut you, cut you, cut you and then they knife you and it’s death by a thousand cuts with them because they can do it in a bunch of different ways," Sheppard added. "So, we understand that. But seriously, the utmost respect and we’re going to prepare with the utmost respect and be ready for 60 minutes of high-level football come Sunday.”

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