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The Detroit Lions improved to 2-1 on the season with a 38-30 win against the Baltimore Ravens. Kelvin Sheppard’s defense played a huge role in the victory, stifling the Baltimore offense in the fourth quarter. Aidan Hutchinson and Co. had a great game, bottling up Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson throughout the game. Even ESPN’s Marcus Spears gave them props for the win.
The Lions lost defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn to the New York Jets this offseason. Experts around the league did not believe that Detroit’s defense would be anywhere near as good without him. In 2024, Brian Branch nearly became the first Lions player ever to win Defensive Player of the Year. With Sheppard taking over, the defense was expected to take a step back.
Through three games, the Lions defense still has some kinks to work out. The unit has yet to hold an opponent to under 20 points in a game. However, the show Detroit put on against the Ravens sent a message to the rest of the league. Spears spoke about the team’s defenders, saying that he has never seen a group do so well limiting Jackson’s effectiveness.
"It was the first time I've seen an aggressive rush get Lamar [Jackson] on the ground and also being super sound."
—@mspears96 on how impressive the Lions' defense was pic.twitter.com/uM6VeDXSdQ
— NFL on ESPN (@ESPNNFL) September 23, 2025
“It was the first time I’ve seen an aggressive rush get Lamar [Jackson] on the ground and also being super sound,” Spears said. “I thought it was a phenomenal idea last night to allow Aidan Hutchinson to get all the attention and everybody else benefited from it.”
Hutchinson was the main focus of the Ravens’ offense and still broke through to sack Jackson. The Lions also forced Derrick Henry into an uncharacteristic fumble that helped seal the win. Sheppard’s group has improved throughout the season, just as the offense has. After a weak showing in Week 1 against the Green Bay Packers, Detroit looks just as dominant as ever.
The Lions will not see Jackson and Baltimore again unless they meet in the Super Bowl. However, Detroit’s defense showed the league on Monday night just how good they can be against the best.
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