Detroit Lions: The Matt Patricia rebuild is in full swing

With the Detroit Lions latest loss in Buffalo over the weekend, the rebuilding year under new head coach Matt Patricia is in full swing.

The Detroit Lions brought in new head coach Matt Patricia. While most fans thought the new coach was a sign of taking the next step and winning a playoff game, the reality of the situation has fully set in. This was the step necessary to take with new coaching. Learning. Adjusting. Finding their groove. A fluctuation to the norm.

The Lions were good under former coach Jim Caldwell. Patricia was brought in to make them better. But with change comes uncertainty. It isn’t common for a new coach to lead a team to the promised land known as the Super Bowl. More common is for the team to constantly making adjustments. Struggling. Trying to learn a new way and stumbling along the path. Enter your 2018 Detroit Lions.

The first sign of this struggle happened in Week 1. A blowout loss to the New York Jets when the Lions looked lost. They were still learning their way under Patricia and, by many accounts, just weren’t prepared to play.

Then something crazy happened. The Lions were sitting in the middle of the division, in a dogfight, and a trade was made. This was the good trade. The first trade. Damon “Snacks” Harrison became a Lion and immediately made an impact. Things were looking up.

Then something even crazier happened. The Lions made another trade. The bad trade. A fan favorite, dependable target, quarterback’s friend, wide receiver Golden Tate was traded away. Look, we understand the reasoning. There were contracts to consider. A valuable pick was received. It wasn’t for nothing. Fine. BUT! This came at a horrible time.

After this trade, the offense collapsed. Moving the ball was now an even bigger struggle. Then injuries happened. The Lions struggled along and were just officially knocked out of the playoffs. Where does the team go from here?

They continue to rebuild. All eyes are now on the draft and free agency with two lame-duck games remaining. And, now more than ever, it has become apparent that this season was for players and coaches to adjust to the change that happened after Caldwell’s departure. Expectations were too high. Not incorrectly, but they were too high.

After a full year in Detroit, Patricia is acclimated to the atmosphere and culture of the organization. He’s made some adjustments and the defense is notably improved in run prevention from the beginning of the year. Which positions this team chooses to upgrade over the offseason are anybody’s guess. Either way, the goal of winning the division and playoff games is still out of reach…until next year.