Getty Reggie Ragland before the Super Bowl.
The Detroit Lions had another tough collapse in Week 2, but once again, the players aren’t looking backward and crying about missed opportunities.
According to linebacker Reggie Ragland, the only way for the team to look is forward. Additionally, Ragland doesn’t seem to think anything is missing from the roster or the team. As he said, the only way forward for the Lions is simply to step up and play some ball. Some (bleeping) ball to be perfectly exact.
Longer Reggie Ragland quote: “Nothing’s missing. We’ve just gotta go out there and just play f***ing ball, man. That’s all that is. We’ve just got to stay together and we can’t unravel when things are not going our way. We’ve got all the daggone pieces, we’ve just gotta go play.”
Ragland issued this impassioned message to the media and fans Monday after the Lions had blown a 14-3 advantage against the Green Bay Packers. As a result, folks are beginning to wonder if Matt Patricia is in some trouble. Not so according to the players, and certainly not so according to Ragland as this quote is presented in context.
We’ll see if the Lions can get down to playing ball in the weeks ahead. A good place to start would be Week 3 against the resurgent Arizona Cardinals, who are sudden favorites against Detroit.
Reggie Ragland Thinks Lions Can Win Super Bowl
Ragland, who spent last season playing with the Kansas City Chiefs, would know a thing or two about what it takes for a team to win a title being he just helped his former team to do so. Interestingly, he thinks the Lions have the right mix of talent to accomplish that mission as well.
Speaking with the media, Ragland mentioned the Lions in the same breath as the Chiefs in terms of teams that have the right mix to win big in 2020.
Ragland said:
“I see the same qualities in this team as in Kansas City. We got the pieces, we just gotta keep putting them together and just playing hard and being consistent and just keep finishing. I think we got the guys to do that, we just got to go out there and play ball.”
Getting over the hump has long been the problem for the Lions, but it’s possible they’ve changed the chemistry of the locker room just enough so that they might be able to chase down this goal in the future.
Not sure if Ragland would still be on board with this mindset even after an 0-2 start? See his quote for reference as to what he likely believes.
Lions Players Back Matt Patricia
After Sunday’s 42-21 loss to the Packers, which was equally as frustrating as Detroit’s Week 1 defeat albeit for different reasons, players spoke after the game and admitted that they’re not fractured whatsoever when it comes to Matt Patricia.
According to running back Kerryon Johnson, he doesn’t just back his coach 100 percent, but 200 percent thanks to the time they put in for preparation’s sake and all the hard work they do.
Kerryon Johnson also backs Patricia, said he has 200 percent confidence in the coaching staff. Said this staff works unbelievable hours, they can’t work any harder. Said it’s about players fulfilling what the coaching staff wants/expects.
Quarterback Matthew Stafford agreed, ignoring the question totally and saying the team simply has to start to play better and execute better on the field, implying it’s not an issue of coaching whatsoever.
Asked about confidence in Matt Patricia, Matthew Stafford said he’s confident, the team just needs to play better.
About what you’d expect from Stafford.
Patricia’s future is going to come into focus the rest of the season if the Lions continue to lose games and their struggles mount. That will really be the case if the team begins to lose games in which it looks like the team gave up.
If the players are to be believed, though, that won’t happen which means the squad remains on board with Patricia as coach and are unified in that approach.
Ragland’s response only shows that more to be the case.