Kelvin Sheppard's Bracket Plan Earned Respect From Arizona

Lions fans have spent a month yelling at the defense. On bye week, it's worth hearing what the other sideline thought of it.

Our Take: The bracket plan in Arizona was smart, aggressive coaching, and it's the blueprint for the stretch ahead. Take away a team's top two weapons on third down and make someone else beat you.

Per Pride of Detroit's Erik Schlitt, Cardinals offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett called Detroit's approach "pretty unique" and "fascinating," comparing it to seeing two or three defenders on Davante Adams against Baltimore. Trey McBride and Michael Wilson came in accounting for 38% and 30% of Arizona's targets. On third-and-long, defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard bracketed both, with Jack Campbell and Chuck Clark on McBride and D.J. Reed and Keith Abney on Wilson. Arizona failed to convert 10 of its 18 third downs, including five straight three-and-outs.

Schlitt is fair about it: Sheppard has earned some criticism through five weeks, and he earned praise for this one.

What to watch after the bye: whether Sheppard brings the same bracket looks when the Lions host the Packers and then the Vikings, and whether the third-down defense from Arizona carries over.

Sources: [Pride of Detroit](https://www.prideofdetroit.com/detroit-lions-analysis/177204/cardinals-coach-detroit-lions-defensive-game-plan-unique-fascinating)