With the Lions' secondary paper-thin after a rash of injuries and suspensions, Dan Campbell was forced to trust a bunch of fill-ins to get the job done against the high-powered Bucs offense on Monday Night Football. The reserve unit responded in a way beyond even the wildest dreams of Detroit fans, giving first-year defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard a signature game for the ledger.

The Lions held MVP candidate Baker Mayfield in check, compiled four sacks and forced two turnovers while keeping Tampa Bay to nine total points. At one point Troy Aikman said it was one of the greatest defensive efforts he'd ever seen—and considering the circumstances perhaps that's not hyperbolic.

After moving to 5-2 on the year, Campbell gave one of his high-energy locker room speeches and handed out game balls. Linebacker Derrick Barnes was one of the three recipients after menacing Mayfield all night. The veteran then tried to give the game ball to his defensive coordinator.

But Sheppard wasn't having it.

"Y'all already know, bro," Sheppard said upon being given the souvenir. "I ain't s--- without y'all. Forever and a day, this league's been about players, always will be about players. That's why it was an honor for me to take this job. Fellas, it's only the beginning. Do y'all see how good we can be? It doesn't matter, nameless faces. We don't give a f---. We line up and play anywhere. I love the f--- out of y'all, man."

Sheppard then flipped the ball back to Barnes to punctuate the message.

For all the question marks about how the Lions would respond after losing both their coordinators to head coaching gigs, the train appears to still be very much on the tracks and on schedule. Sheppard is encountering the same type of defensive attrition Aaron Glenn had to solve last year—and the early results suggest he has a chance to do better at patching the quilt together.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Lions Defensive Coordinator Wasn't Interested in Game Ball After Shutting Down Bucs.