Retaining Quinn and Patricia Is Highly Questionable But "Could" Still Work
When the news broke Tuesday regarding the Lions opting to bring back both general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia for next season, there were plenty of fans that were not very happy.
You've heard it before: nine wins was ultimately not good enough with previous Lions head coach Jim Caldwell. So, why should less than that -- and way less than that -- be good enough for Patricia?
It's a fair criticism.
In just two years, Patricia has turned a team trying to get past the first round of the playoffs into a team potentially picking in the top three of the first round in the 2020 NFL Draft.
Since Patricia has taken over, the Lions are tied for the fourth-fewest wins, and they're 23rd in points allowed and 23rd in points scored.
The "defensive guru" has his defense on the brink of allowing the most single-season yards in franchise history -- including the winless 2008 campaign.
If the Lions' defense gives up an average of 423 yards over their remaining two outings, it officially will be the most yards ever allowed in a single season.
I can't justify the decision to bring Patricia back based on the product on the field.
The only reason to retain the floundering coach is the "belief" that he can turn it around. A belief that is certainly unfounded at this point in time.
He was brought in to win, and that should be the only measurement in his evaluation. Using that criteria, Patricia is failing mightily.
In terms of excuses, I will give some validity to the rash of injuries that the team has sustained, but that's the nature of the NFL.
The lack of depth, no doubt, falls on Quinn.
Depth was supposed to be what Quinn was building. Now, though, the Lions have "depth players" that are starters instead of backups.
The Lions likely would only be floating around the .500 mark with a healthy Matthew Stafford -- which is clearly not acceptable.
It sounds contradictive, but I don't blame owner Martha Ford for giving the regime one final shot.
I know the Ford family's decisions haven’t taken the team anywhere in the last 60 years, but I do believe Martha wants to win. She just might not know how to do so.
First off, would I have been upset if she pulled the plug on the regime? Not one bit.
Am I 100 percent in support of this regime? Nope.
Martha Ford was sold a plan by Quinn, and she is going to continue to believe in that very plan.
When a new coach and general manager are hired, they need time to implement the system and change the culture.
If you believed in the hire when it happened, then you have to live with the results for a certain time period to see it through. It's an investment, and sometimes, it's hard to cut your losses early.
Unfortunately, this is a team that is built for Patricia's scheme, and a regime change would likely result in a complete overhaul -- one that would require a rebuild and likely more losing.
I can't say I'm completely ready for that, and neither is Martha Ford apparently.
Would you rather take your chances with a new regime on another two or three-year plan or try one more year with a roster constructed for the current staff?
I slightly lean towards the latter, fully knowing that it hasn't worked yet.
The Lions have been shuffling coaches for years with the same end-result -- futility.
And when you take a look at the best-run organizations in the NFL, you’ll find that they typically give their new hires an ample amount of time to make an impact.
Yes, there are plenty of examples of new coaches coming in and turning the team around immediately. However, that is the exception, not the rule.
Make no mistake, Patricia should be on a very short leash next year.
The expectations shouldn't just be a playoff appearance. Instead, they should be a playoff win and nothing less.
Quinn was the one who brought in Patricia, and the two should be tied together when it comes to their futures in the Motor City.
We saw how the offense transformed in the span of a year with a new offensive coordinator in Darrell Bevell.
So, maybe, just maybe, the defense can follow suit with a new defensive coordinator.
Patricia needs to realize that he needs help and needs someone with a fresh perspective on defense.
The current defensive philosophy is broken.
With a few tweaks, it's possible it could get back on track.
That's not exactly a ringing endorsement for a defensive-minded coach, however.
If you haven't noticed yet, there a lot of "ifs" and "maybes" when discussing the future with this regime. That's all that there is right now.
They haven't shown they can put a winning team together, and it's all about having "hope" that things can change.
Ultimately, the regime could still turn it around.
It just seems unlikely at this point. I can't honestly say I have confidence in the direction of the team.
Even so, though, I'm willing to admit that I'm fine with the Ford's rationale behind their decision -- even if it doesn't seem like the right one.
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