Allen Park — Kelvin Sheppard knows what people have thought about the Detroit Lions in years past.

The Lions, under a head coach who came up under Sean Payton, have predominantly relied on their offense to win games in recent seasons. It’s easy to see why. Dan Campbell spent a decade in the NFL playing on that side of the ball, and the Lions roster some the league’s best offensive talent. Why not lean into it?

But in his first season as defensive coordinator, Sheppard set out for his half of the ball to pull more weight. He desired a complementary situation, with the defense helping out the offense as much as the offense had been helping out the defense.

Sheppard’s efforts have largely been successful through 10 games. The defense having the offense’s back is best illustrated in sudden-

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