Detroit Lions: Bob Quinn has omitted Patriots playbook at quarterback

The Detroit Lions have been getting remodeled in the ‘Patriot’s way’. Let’s talk about a position that Bob Quinn hasn’t changed much, quarterback.

If you know anything about the Detroit Lions, you must know that many people have started calling them the Patriots West team. This is an obvious reference to the fact that Detroit has recycled or hired many ex-Patriots players and front office personnel like general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia among others, not to mention that those people are bringing everything but the logo from Foxboro.

Here at Kick In the Crotch Weekly, we’re going to discuss an obvious omission from the Patriots blueprint that has been critical to their success, the quarterback position.

With the recent activity among the backup quarterbacks, Connor Cook being waived and David Fales being signed, it begs the question: What is the plan at quarterback after Matthew Stafford? The only other viable option on the roster is former Houston journeyman, Tom Savage, who could be said to fill a certain role but is not considered a top backup.

SB Nation recently ranked every team’s backup quarterback situation and former general manager Michael Lombardi Tweeted that the Lions might have the worst backups in the NFL.

Neither the article nor the tweet were particularly complimentary to Tom Savage, nor David Fales behind him. The article put the Lions into a third tier of teams with career backups. It’s an issue worth exploring, especially since Stafford is ten years into his career and undoubtedly has less football in front of him than behind him.

The older Stafford gets the more likely we’ll need a better backup.

We hear some of you thinking: Stafford hasn’t missed a game in eight seasons.

That’s true, his consecutive starts streak is at 131, the third best active streak in the NFL among quarterbacks. Philip Rivers and Matt Ryan are ahead of him. Brett Favre has the record at 321, FYI.

Only teams that have a poor or unreliable starter invest heavily in a backup.

This is mostly true. The Chargers have a better backup in Tyrod Taylor while Philip Rivers has the longest active streak of starts in the NFL. The Detroit Lions don’t have an heir apparent or young, unproven talent like other teams, either.

This article is not an attempt to say that Bob Quinn is horrible at his job; we all know how sensitive some Lions fans can be. If we’re going to give Quinn credit for successes on the roster, we also have to be willing to criticize him for its deficiencies, too. View the roster here.