Skip to main content

Matt Patricia or Bob Quinn: Who Deserves More Blame?

Does Matt Patricia or Bob Quinn deserve the most blame for the Detroit Lions struggles as an organization?

The Detroit Lions have experienced yet another tough stretch of football. 

Detroit's last NFL victory came on October 17, 2019 against the New York Giants. 

For an organization in desperate need of anything positive to speak of, going over 300 days in between victories has sent Detroit's fanbase into panic mode. 

Head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were supposed to be able to work together and use their experience in the NFL to aid a franchise get over the hump. 

Instead, the product out on the football field looks like a complete mess, and the only solutions that have been offered have been dialing up the agents of older veterans that used to play for the Patriots.

It is challenging to pinpoint exactly what has ailed the organization the past three years, but surely this is not what ownership or anyone supporting the team expected. 

Patricia has preached fundamentals and execution since the first day he arrived at Allen Park. 

"When you work fundamentals, I think you really try to master the basics first. One of the reasons we want to do that is when the game goes on and the body wears down, the mind gets tired, you want to revert to that muscle memory," Patricia said Thursday in a video conference with Detroit media. "For us, when we get to (the) muscle memory point in the game, our technique is usually what you rely on and where you go to from that standpoint and when you are tired. Certainly you’ll find in games where there’s just poor technique or poor fundamentals that cause teams to lose. That’s the part of it -- we always want to have that base to go back to. But certainly we can’t just sit in that one space. We have to work to master that first, but also move forward at the same time."

Detroit's general manager also has to accept some culpability in the team's losing streak. 

The team lacks depth in several key areas and there do not appear to be any answers in sight. 

For example, why would the team invest such a high draft pick in Julian Okwara to only then declare him a healthy scratch against the Packers?

The solution to solve the failing pass-rush is to bring in 31-year-old Jabaal Sheard for a workout?

On too many occasions, Quinn has failed to upgrade the defense in meaningful ways. 

After a little over two seasons, it appears as if their time working together might be coming to a close. 

Who is more to blame for the struggles of the Lions?

Vote and comment below. 

To Vote

Get the latest Detroit Lions news by joining our community. Click "Follow" at the top right of our SI All Lions page. Mobile users click the notification bell. Be sure to follow us on Twitter @detroitpodcast