Matt Patricia looks like a dead man walking in terms of his coaching career with the Detroit Lions, but in the coming weeks, his prospects for sticking around could get a lot better.
The Detroit Lions schedule, which certainly was tough to start based on the teams they’ve already played, will lighten up considerably. As ESPN’s Mike Clay explained, the Lions have one of the top 5 easiest schedules remaining in the league for 2020, checking in at the No. 5 position.
Easiest remaining schedule:
1. Chiefs
2. Cowboys
3. Browns
4. Packers
5. Lions
Hardest remaining schedule:
1. 49ers
2. Rams
3. Jets
4. Bills
5. Broncos
(per my metrics)
For the team, this is a double edged sword. An easy schedule could theoretically help the Lions claw back to respectability, or it could create a situation where Patricia is losing to teams he should beat while potentially blowing more leads and making more of a case to be fired.
Regardless, the Lions could have a shot to turn things around decently with this schedule.
Lions Upcoming 2020 Schedule
After the bye week, the Detroit schedule takes a very positive turn after a difficult start. Following this bye week, Detroit plays the Jaguars, Falcons and Colts, Vikings, Washington, the Panthers and Texans.
All of those teams have struggled in recent weeks in their own way, so the Lions could theoretically find themselves in a position to make a potential midseason run at the postseason if they are able to handle their own business. Out of the group, the Colts have the best current record at 3-1.
The Lions, of course, are 1-3 themselves, so teams are likely looking at them and thinking they managed to get on the right side of a soft schedule. Additionally, some of those teams could turn their seasons around before it’s too late. Still, if the Lions can grab some momentum from their bye week and maximize it, it would help them perhaps get things back on the right track.
Detroit’s schedule, however, was long seen as fairly soft. So far, that’s proven true, which could set the team up for a chance at a major run in the coming weeks if only they can put everything together. So far this season, that’s remained the problem.
Lions Called NFL ‘Kings of Choking’
One thing that could stall any type of schedule momentum? The fact that this year, the Lions have been one of the worst teams at holding a lead. The Falcons have made a few more headlines for falling apart on the field, but the Lions have quietly been just as consistent at blowing games in a bad way. Now, they’re currently on a run of 6 straight games of blowing leads over 10 points or more, which is an NFL record.
These facts are helping folks, including Rodger Sherman, to see the Lions and perhaps not the Falcons as perfecting the NFL’s ugly choke. Sherman tweeted about this after the Lions made history blowing yet another double digit lead this week.
While the Falcons have struggled this season, it’s not as if they are on a run like the Lions are. 6 straight games blowing a 10 point lead or more is just ugly in its futility, and something that is rarely seen in league circles. Most teams are talented enough to put away a major lead, but the Lions haven’t been able to do it for some reason. It’s rendered their ‘dagger time’ tagline almost a laughable punchline so far this season.
Nobody in Detroit is likely to sleep on the Lions in terms of being the kings of falling apart. If that happens with this schedule, it could only be worse news for Matt Patricia and his future with the team.
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Lions Could Catch Break With Remaining Schedule Strength