Lions defense struggles against Bills in season opener

In their season opener on September 18, 2026, the Detroit Lions fell to the Buffalo Bills, 41-31, at Highmark Stadium. Defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard's team was unable to improve on critical areas targeted for off-season correction, including limiting explosive plays, run defense, and performance on third-and-long situations. Head coach Dan Campbell expressed frustration at halftime, emphasizing the penalties and play execution issues that hindered the Lions' effort. Sheppard's commitments to enhance the defense failed to materialize, leaving the team with many areas to address moving forward.

• 12:00 PMYahoo Sports — Lions defense fails to deliver on Kelvin Sheppard’s off season commitments