00:00Calvin Shepard spoke.
00:02He didn't speak after the Saints game.
00:04So he had seven minutes of things to say.
00:07And look, this is going to be more of a, there's no one thing that he said that drives this.
00:16But I thought there were a couple of things we'll put out there.
00:18I mean, I know we have the audio of what he said about Kirby Joseph.
00:23I think the two things that are interesting to me is he believes they have the pieces to run the
00:29system they want.
00:31He also made a comment about how Dan Campbell's been more involved with the defensive meetings this year than ever,
00:38which I don't think is a good sign.
00:40And then the other angle, and it was part of his Kirby dissertation.
00:45And David, I don't know if you have the full clip, but it was the idea of, look, I can
00:49only work with what I have.
00:53So if you want to play the Kirby thing, he basically said, like, I'm not going to sit here and
00:57worry about a guy who's not here, but I can only play with what I have.
01:01Take a listen to this.
01:54I think it's interesting.
01:56I think the question really lies with one of the other things he said, which is they had a meeting.
02:02They combed the tape of the 23 explosives.
02:06They've given up 23 explosives in two weeks.
02:10His count was 75% of them were about the players were self-inflicted.
02:17So it begs a question.
02:18Is it the players or the coaching?
02:20See, I think the coach has taken up for his guys.
02:24And I think he's trying to make a point that we can correct some stuff and our guys are good
02:30enough and they can do this.
02:31The problem is by making that point, other people are going to view it.
02:35Well, it's you not doing your job.
02:37Like, I just, I don't think he was given good pieces and I, I'm going to defend Kelvin Shepard to
02:45a point.
02:46Now, look, it'll get to a point where if it keeps looking this way, and I've already said this week,
02:52I don't think it'll keep looking this bad.
02:54The Jets are a much improved team, but that's on the defensive side.
02:58They don't have a great offense.
03:00Like, if you look the way you've looked against the Jets, no, then you've reached this indefensible territory.
03:09But what do you make of it, Rico?
03:11Campbell being in the meetings, I don't think that's a good sign.
03:14The 23 explosives, 75% of them are about us.
03:19I can only work with what I've been given.
03:22We have the pieces to function in this system.
03:25What do you, take it where you want to go.
03:27Well, to me, it's sounding as if he's saying, look, I don't have the guys.
03:32If 75% is on us, I can flowchart back to, I don't have the guys.
03:38I'm not a bad DC, but once again, I don't have the guys.
03:43I don't have the players to go out here and stop NFL teams.
03:47I'm doing the best that I can.
03:49And please be patient with me.
03:51This would work if I had real defensive players.
03:55But he's saying he doesn't use injuries as an excuse.
03:58He's not using injuries as an excuse.
04:00I'm thinking he's saying, I just don't have, these guys shouldn't be out there starting.
04:06These guys shouldn't be playing.
04:08Maybe the quiet part out loud, we should have spent more time on the defense in the offseason
04:13rather than the offense.
04:16See, it's tough for me because I do think it always points back to Brad Holmes, but a
04:21lot of people, they're upset with Kelvin Shepard.
04:24I'm not just because I don't have much respect for what you're putting out on the field.
04:29I don't know what it's supposed to look like.
04:32Like, think about how Avante Maddox getting hurt has the Lions signing street free agents.
04:40All it took for you to start, and by the way, this is why I can't stand the media in
04:47this town.
04:47How about the article today in one of the papers?
04:50You know, the Lions had a draftable grade on Edmund Fitzgerald, who they signed today.
04:55Blow it out your ass.
04:57That guy was on a practice squad, and by the way, oh, draftable, great.
05:01They didn't draft him.
05:03Avante Maddox gets hurt and work home in the tile aisle at Home Depot.
05:08Tell me again that Brad Holmes did his job.
05:11Well, to make it even funnier, in order to bring this guy in, you let go of a guy that
05:17you actually did draft.
05:18Uh-oh.
05:19Uh-oh.
05:21So, I think he is telling you the quiet part.
05:24I don't have the guys that can go out there.
05:27I was listening to the morning show to the guy they were interviewing, and he said, look,
05:32their secondary wouldn't play or start for 25 of the teams in the NFL.
05:38That's problematic when you think about that.
05:41That if you were to release your entire secondary, they probably would end up on practice squads
05:47in other places.
05:48You're starting them.
05:50Yeah, I mean, it's true.
05:53Now, you could fudge the number by saying in a nickel set, McCreary would start for over
05:59half the league.
06:00McCreary's a solid slot corner.
06:03DJ Reed would start for many teams, but he'd be the number two.
06:07But beyond that, you don't have a single player, as currently constituted.
06:12So, I think that's what I took out of that statement, is he's hearing the frustration.
06:17He's saying that his job is in question because Dan Campbell in the room kind of speaks.
06:24Oh, my God.
06:26Look, because this is something that anybody listening can relate to.
06:30No one likes it when all of a sudden their boss either gets added to the email or shows
06:37up to the meeting.
06:38Because now you're like, why is he here?
06:40Why is she here?
06:42What do they want?
06:43What am I doing wrong?
06:45You're not yourself anymore.
06:46You're not comfortable.
06:48Now you know you're in the crosshairs.
06:50So, the question for you guys is this.
06:52There is battle lines.
06:54You get a group of people who are upset at Calvin Shepard.
06:56You get a group of people upset at Brad Holmes.
06:58Whose fault is this?
06:59Weigh it out.
07:00Give me the scales of justice on this.
07:0451%, 49%.
07:05Who shoulders more of the blame for why this defense looks the way it does?
07:10Shep?
07:11Or Holmes.
07:132, 4, 8, 5, 3, 9, 97, 97.
07:16You know where I'm at.
07:17It's on Holmes.
07:18I don't think it is fair to Calvin Shepard after two weeks, look at the talent and have
07:25a real conversation about who would play for good teams.
07:29Who?
07:31Really look at that defense and specifically to the secondary and ask yourself.
07:39And then add to it one of the highest paid guys on your defense and the captain and the
07:46green dot has been awful the first two weeks.
07:49Jack Campbell has been terrible.
07:52Guys are misaligned up front.
07:54That's on the green dot.
07:55Teams are throwing right at you.
07:57Well, that's definitely on the green dot.
07:59I mean, Buffalo alone, seven targets, five catches, 48 yards, two touchdowns.
08:04Cannot happen.
08:06Listen, I blame Brad Holmes.
08:08There's not enough talent here.
08:09Now, it'll get to a point where if it keeps looking as bad as it is, Calvin Shepard will
08:13get fired.
08:14But I'm not going to be the one advocating for it.
08:16Just like when I took up for Aaron Glenn.
08:17It wasn't Aaron Glenn's fault.
08:21Holmes ain't going to fire himself.
08:23So, no, you're right about that.
08:24But, yeah, he's only doing what he can do.
08:27And Aaron Glenn just said, F it.
08:28We're just going to blitz.
08:29Just everybody go get the quarterback.
08:32And let's hope that our offense can score enough points.
08:35But I also think this will calm down a little bit.
08:38Again, this Lions team, the way they've played, in my mind, they're 0-2.
08:45You're going to get a reprieve is that you don't have some elite offenses.
08:48Like, yes, Carolina so far looks like a quality offense.
08:52That'll be a bit of a litmus test.
08:54I don't think the Jets are.
08:55While the Jets are improved, and the Jets can beat you, they're going to have to beat
09:00you in a certain kind of game.
09:02If you lose a shootout to the Jets, quit.
09:06Just quit.
09:07Like, if you lose 31-28 to the Jets, shut it down.
09:12Now, you're on bar rescue.
09:13Just shut it down at that point.
09:15Then I'll say, okay, this has reached a new low.
09:19And I don't think that's going to happen.
09:21Brother, I think if you win 35-31 against the Jets, you're still not.
09:24I just said if you won 31-28.
09:27Like, no.
09:28The defense will play better through osmosis.
09:31Some of these offenses are not good.
09:34The teams might be pesky.
09:36The teams might be able to do something.
09:38But I'm saying, like, look, you face New Orleans, where you know I have a lot of respect for
09:42Kelmore, and you face Buffalo.
09:43Duh.
09:45Rico, if it doesn't start to look a little better, it doesn't matter what I think of
09:49Kelvin Shepard.
09:50He'll get fired.
09:50So, Gary Wilson, A.D. Mitchell.
09:53It's the overall picture of it.
09:55The Jets, they're not a good offense.
09:57They're functional.
09:59Right?
09:59That's a step up.
10:01But how have the Jets made their money this year?
10:03Defense.
10:03Right, because I guess, look, you were high on the Saints.
10:07I wasn't that high, because I'm still like, man, that's Tyler Shuck.
10:10Now, looks like you're closer to being correct than I am.
10:14But, yeah, I mean, they have pieces there.
10:19They can make a couple big plays, and like you said, target Jack Campbell.
10:23Well, okay, but if I'm making a point that if that happens.
10:27Oh, yeah, you're in trouble.
10:28Well, then you're talking about someone losing their job.
10:30It can't happen.
10:32I'm not saying there's any world I think this Lions defense will be good.
10:35I think this is the road to being below average.
10:38The road to being average.
10:40Can they attain that?
10:43I'm just going to give them a little more time.
10:45Will the Kelvin Shepard make or break game?
10:47Because they go out there and they're bad.
10:49I'll be honest.
10:50I think it's this plus Carolina.
10:51Carolina, I think if it looks bad the next two weeks, or if Bryce Young throws for two
10:57eights, I expect Carolina to be bad.
11:00Well, then we're going to be doing a show in a couple weeks where he's fired.
11:03I mean, it just is going to get to that point, and it's not what I want.
11:06I'm not advocating for it.
11:08I mean, my animus is directed at Brad Holmes.
11:12Well, Dave, what did you want me to do?
11:14It's so abundantly clear.
11:16I'll say it to you again.
11:17Again, the Avante Maddox injury, who?
11:21Avante Maddox getting hurt sent you scrambling to the nearest Fuddruckers to find a corner.
11:30Really?
11:31Great place, by the way.
11:32Really?
11:34I mean, that's where we're at.
11:36Yeah.
11:37They kept Rake Straw around.
11:39He can't dress for games.
11:43And in week two.
11:45Week two of the season.
11:46Not week 16.
11:48Week two.
11:49Tell me again.
11:50They shouldn't have signed a high-level safety or drafted one.
11:53Tell me again.
11:552-4-8-5-3-9-9-7-9-7.
11:58I want to get with the people coming up next.
