Detroit Lions: Matt Patricia is on the same hot seat as past coaches

There is absolutely no doubt that Caldwell was a man of resplendent character. He was a natural leader of men, but despite all the positives that his supporters like to point out, the numbers also point out that his Lions almost never beat the good teams and despite two trips to the playoffs, the Lions had no playoff wins.

This was an ignominious stat that Jim Schwartz shared as well.

If you want to use the ‘facts’ about how his players felt and even his integrity, then you have to use all the facts; under Jim Caldwell and Jim Schwartz as well, the Lions never beat the good teams. Period.

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Part of this was never having a loaded roster, but the New England Patriots have never really had a loaded roster either, yet they have five Super Bowl championship rings under Bill Belichick. Sure they have Tom Brady who is possibly the greatest quarterback ever, but who has been their superstar running back? Or receiver?

Yes, they do have Rob Gronkowski who is currently the best tight end in the NFL, but they won it all before he ever arrived with a no name cast of skill position players surrounding Brady.

One of the constants of the Patriots’ Super Bowl runs has been the good defenses they have fielded. Yet even on that side of the ball they don’t spend a lot of money on stars. It is their organizational belief that with players that are good, not necessarily great, and well coached in an innovative scheme, on both sides of the ball, they can contend for titles. And they do.

As the old saying goes ‘it ain’t bragging if you can back it up’.

Now having said all of that, the Lions have put all their faith in two former Patriots to carry this team over the threshold and become champions. General manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia have both enjoyed championship parades as key members of the New England Patriots.

Now they are in Detroit with a new franchise that needs to get over the final hump of becoming a good team. In the NFL good teams beat other good teams. Good teams are in the mix to win titles. Good teams prove themselves on the field each season.

I wouldn’t say that Quinn and Patricia are building a new culture, because under Schwartz and Caldwell, they believed they were a good team and had mostly positive locker rooms. Yet there is a certain swagger that teams acquire only from having proven themselves on a regular basis by beating other contenders.

In other words, the Lions have to start winning games against playoff caliber teams.