The realist in all of us needs to understand that a late-season surge isn’t going to send the Lions to the Super Bowl nor is it going to solve the personnel issues this team has. That doesn’t mean that I’m advocating tanking, like some fans are hoping for to help the Lions draft position.
It simply means that while it would be extremely beneficial for the Lions to have a higher draft pick, it’s just as important for the defense to start showing signs of being able to play Matt Patricia’s defense competently as we look ahead to next season.
Because the future is really where we will find possible reasons to be thankful for these Detroit Lions.
From a personnel standpoint, it would be really surprising if general manager Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia don’t binge on defensive players in the draft and free agency.
The need for help on the defensive line, linebacker and even in the secondary will be of utmost importance. Matt Patricia came to town as a defensive guru and is now fielding a defense that is porous against the run and showing weakness in the secondary as well.
While Patricia has been excited about working with all aspects of this team as the head coach, the defense has been a tremendous disappointment to him and you can bet he won’t be satisfied with going into next year without a major infusion of players that should excel in his system.
Not with his background as a defensive coordinator for a modern-day dynasty.
So there will be a decided emphasis on the defensive side of the ball which in turn should bring about much better results. Consider this; the Lions opponent today, the Chicago Bears, have reaped the benefits of their new head coach Matt Nagy with a diverse, innovative offense, but the real reason they are in first place is because of a dynamic defense.
Matt Patricia’s scheme isn’t as aggressive as the Bears system, but with the proper players in place executing the defense correctly, it should have the same type of effect for the Lions. Being stingy in giving up yards and points, playing a hard-hitting physical brand of football and being opportunistic.
So a good defensive draft along with smart free agent signings could give Patricia’s defense the boost it needs to play the game as he envisions them playing it.
Needless to say, that would be a very good thing.