You might expect Kelvin Sheppard to be nervous for his debut as a defensive coordinator. But then, you wouldn't really know Kelvin Sheppard.
To be nervous would be unprepared. In Sheppard's mind, it would also be self-consumed. He is neither entering the Lions' season-opener against the Packers.
"I take myself out of that equation," Sheppard said Thursday. "I’m excited for the players and the opportunity that these guys have. ... I’m a very selfless person. I’m not in to this like, ‘Oh, this is my first game.’ No, this is their first game to go out and display what we’re going to look like and what’s to come in the 2025-2026 season."
Green Bay has a talented young offense led by a talented young quarterback in Jordan Love. It has a bull in the backfield in Josh Jacobs, who runs similarly to David Montgomery. It has a growing cast of pass-catchers, headlined by first-round pick Matthew Golden -- a receiver the Lions hosted on a pre-draft visit. The Packers were fifth in the NFL in total offense last year, and look more dangerous this year.
"Whenever you’ve got somebody that can take the top off, and you have one of the top-five rushing attacks in ball last year, that provides a challenge in itself," said Sheppard. "But we have the luxury here of practicing against a very similar offense, having (Jameson Williams) and the double-headed monster that we have to see all camp, so it’s prepared us. But, number one, first and foremost, it starts with stopping the run and Josh Jacobs."
The Lions look more dangerous on defense, by virtue of getting their top two pass-rushers back on the field: Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport are raring to do damage. They have playmakers galore in the secondary, featuring last year's NFL leader in picks in Kerby Joseph. They have one of the stronger linebacker trios in the game. The defense, if healthy, should be a strength -- as it was last year before being decimated by injuries.
"We have to hold our own," said co-captain Alex Anzalone. "We've had a top-five offense here for the past couple years and I think that it's time for our defense to take that step and match their level. We're excited to go out there and play. We have to earn it."
To outsiders, this will be Sheppard's first time calling plays in a meaningful game in the NFL. He knows that's "the big question" facing his defense. But to Sheppard, this is nothing new. Not only has he been calling plays for the last six weeks throughout camp, "more importantly, for the last two years in my mind."
Dan Campbell and Sheppard's predecessor Aaron Glenn were intentional about grooming him for this job. They put more and more on his plate last year in terms of game-planning for first and second down. Sheppard also developed a routine over the past couple seasons of sitting down at the end of each week, turning on the film of a recent game and calling it on his own. He would often ask himself "if AG got sick the night before, how would I see myself calling these games?"
"So, it’s the first time others are going to see me call games and call plays. But as far as the defensive players and myself, I’m going into this deal, I know the (downs and distances), I know the plan, I know what we’ve said we’re going to do here, what we’ve said we’re going to do there, and not deviate from it no matter what. It’s the same thing we do in call-it periods in practice."
The offense Sheppard schemed against in camp is as loaded as any the Lions will encounter this season. And for the most part, Detroit's defense had the upper hand. Nothing could give a rookie coordinator more confidence than that.
"Guys, I’m not BS-ing you: I’m not nervous at all," Sheppard said. "I’m very anxious, but I’m not nervous. There’s a big difference. Someone is nervous, you’re not prepared. We are prepared and we will be prepared, and we’ll let the chips fall where they may on Sunday."