ALLEN PARK — Kelvin Sheppard had never heard Roy Lopez’s name before the Detroit Lions visited the Arizona Cardinals last season.
But the former linebackers coach and now first-year defensive coordinator quickly became aware of what Lopez, who signed with the Lions in March after spending two seasons with the Cardinals, was capable of. Former All-Pro center Frank Ragnow and offensive line coach Hank Fraley raved about the defensive tackle, with Ragnow saying, as Sheppard recalled, “That dude’s real, and that’s one of the best noses I’ve gone against this year.”
Lopez has developed a reputation as a stingy run defender, someone who makes his money doing the dirty work, taking on double teams and filling gaps. He’s continued that type of approach with the Lions this season, so far posting a grade against the run from Pro Football Focus (70.6) that ranks 11th among the 112 defensive linemen who’ve received at least 80 run-defense reps.
The Lions’ win over the Washington Commanders on Sunday may have featured Lopez’s best performance through the season’s first 10 weeks. He saw 12 defensive snaps, but he was a force, notching three runs stops (tackles that result in a failed play for the offense) and two pressures. Lopez has eight run stops on the season, leading all defensive linemen on the Lions. The only players on the roster with more are starting linebackers Jack Campbell (18), Alex Anzalone (13) and Derrick Barnes (11).
“He’s playing at a high level, man,” head coach Dan Campbell said of Lopez during his weekly interview with 97.1 The Ticket’s “Costa & Jansen with Heather” show. “It’s one of the reasons we wanted him here. He’s an outstanding role player for us. When he comes in, we don’t miss a beat, man. … He plays with leverage, he’s stout, he’s strong, he’s explosive. But then he can run the line of scrimmage, too, now, so you wanna run wide zone on him, he can get knock-back and run. That was evident the other day. … He plays hard, man. He plays snap to whistle.”
Campbell went on to say Monday that Lopez “showed up big time” against the Commanders, and they he’s been a “quietly productive guy for us the whole season.”
Similar sentiments were shared by Sheppard on Thursday: “You talk about a guy popping off the tape and making the most of your opportunities. That’s why I say, ‘Don’t sulk and feel sorry for yourself. No matter if you get five or 50 plays, what are you going to do with those?’ He got 12, and I felt him on all 12.”
Defending the run starts with proper technique, of course, from pad level to keeping your feet active. But Lopez tabbed want-to as a run defender’s most underrated quality. Sometimes, a defensive lineman’s duty on a rep (especially a nose tackle) isn’t to make the play, per se, but to change the ball-carrier’s path and redirect him toward a teammate. High-level run defenders have to be OK with not stuffing the stat sheet.
“You’ve got to take in pride in walking out of a game with one tackle, no tackles, and know that you did a great job that day. … I think that’s the biggest thing, too, is find the little joys in sending the ball back, cutting the play off, anchoring a double team, a fourth-down stop,” Lopez said. “Those little things, man … you’ve got to live on those. Everybody’s got their thing that they search for. … Don’t get me wrong, I want sacks and TFLs. But sometimes sending the ball back to your team, cutting off a play is your job on that play, so you’ve got to find love in the little things.”
Hearing compliments from his coaches this week was encouraging for Lopez, but what he really takes pride in is the respect he gained from his now-teammates after last year’s game in Arizona. When the Lions signed him, members of the offensive line first introduced themselves before letting him know how much of a pill he was to deal with.
“Those are always cool to hear, especially when you’re not this big name guy in the league and you feel like you’ve played enough ball,” Lopez said. “I wonder if people know my game. And then you go out there and someone’s like, ‘Hey, bro, you’re nice.’ (Then I think to myself), ‘OK, maybe I am.’”
Campbell and Sheppard certainly seem to think so.