Getty Matt Patricia looks on in a game.
The Detroit Lions have been pressing through a dreadful 2019 season that has been fraught with inconsistency, injuries and disappointment considering the start the team had.
With the finish looking dreadful, the future of Matt Patricia has come under fire. Many think the team should simply cut their losses with the second year head coach and move on. The biggest reason has been the disorganization that has gone on in the franchise since Patricia started in 2018.
So what are some of the other reasons to move on from Patricia? Here’s a look at some of the top reasons that folks might find to pull the plug on the coach after a short time in Detroit.
The Lions’ Defense Hasn’t Improved
Detroit’s defense, which was lauded as the group that could be impacted the most by the arrival of a defensive guru, has actually gone backward since Patricia has come into the mix. Instead of being historically good, the team’s defense has actually been historically bad. Even when healthy, the Detroit defense hasn’t managed to be anything other than below average. They keep the team in games, but do little to help win games. Pass rush and turnover creation have not been fixed. This falls at the feet of Patricia, who was known for defense mostly in New England. It hasn’t translated to the Motor City.
The Lions’ Culture Seems to Have Gotten Miserable
Former players are coming out critically about the Lions and their direction under Patricia and Bob Quinn. Many have said that the decision makers don’t have their best interest in mind and many don’t like Patricia as a person. While everyone can’t be expected to be completely happy after a regime change and many players do appreciate Patricia, the discontent going on two years is concerning. Will everyone completely buy in? If it’s not working in the locker room, the Lions might have no choice but to give in and consider a change.
Matt Patricia Doesn’t Beat Good Teams
Why are the Lions where they are at? There’s one simple reason the team is even having to deal with these issues right now and it has nothing to do with injuries. Detroit just doesn’t beat good teams on the field under Patricia no matter who is starting in between the lines. Consider this stat. Detroit is one of nine other teams not to beat a squad with a winning record in 2019. In fact, in Patricia’s tenure, the Lions have only beaten one team that would finish with a winning record in the 2018 New England Patriots. That’s a team Patricia had an intimate knowledge of already coming to Detroit. Will Patricia ever be able to beat good teams consistently? It’s something Lions fans are left to wonder, and a big reason many will say Patricia should go, since he was literally brought to Detroit to do just that.
Matt Patricia Struggles With Coaching Decisions
Many nitpick the coach and his decisions during the games routinely, and sometimes for good reason. Patricia struggles with challenges, timeout usage and other in-game decisions that are vital for a coach to master in order to give himself the best chance at winning. It’s true that Patricia has not made as many catastrophic decisions to cost the Lions games as his predecessor Jim Caldwell did, but even such, the team has to consider everything and must consider the fact that the coach has been quite average in terms of the moves he makes to help engineer wins.
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