Detroit Lions: Winning formula must develop into a new identity

The Detroit Lions finally gave the fans something to cheer about Sunday. But that winning formula must develop into a new identity for this franchise.

On Sunday night, the Detroit Lions put up a shocking 26-10 win against the New England Patriots at Ford Field. It was good to see the Lions pull off a victory on national television, especially considering so much was in New England’s favor.

New England rarely loses two in a row, so the Patriot loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 2 was supposed to inspire the team. Head coach Bill Belichick has a strong record against former assistants, so new Detroit head coach Matt Patricia (the former New England defensive coordinator) had history against him.

But what New England really had going for them was a game against an inferior team. The Detroit Lions defense was getting killed by opposing rushers, while the offense sputtered for seven of the eight quarters played in the first two weeks.

Plus, New England boasts two of the most dynamic play makers on the field: future Hall of Fame quarterback Tom Brady and all-pro tight end Rob Gronkowski (nicknamed “Gronk”). These two players definitely have an advantage over most defenses because they are elite talents.

But somehow all of these advantages didn’t come to fruition. Suddenly, the Detroit Lions defense could stop the run. They were also very effective at double-teaming Gronk throughout the game, holding him to just 51 yards receiving and zero touchdowns. So, the question after everything went so right for the Lions was quite simple: “what is wrong with the Patriots?”

The apparent problems for the Patriots squad is all anyone will talk about at this point. And, to be honest, the Lion’s season thus far has not inspired much confidence in the team nationally. Detroit has a lot more to prove if they want accolades for their performances on the field. But this one win just won’t cut it.