Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia faces an uphill battle in Year Two. We’ll cover that and more in today’s edition of headlines.
With training camp kicking off in a few weeks, real football can’t come soon enough for fans of the Detroit Lions. And there are plenty of questions to ponder in the meantime.
We’ll dive into some of the biggest questions in this edition of headlines, where we searched the internet for some of the top storylines about your Lions.
2019 NFL preview: Lions either buy into Matt Patricia’s culture, or Patricia won’t last long – Yahoo Sports
Yahoo Sports’ Frank Schwab does a great job in the above article of summing up the disasters of Matt Patricia’s first season in Detroit. And the central question of his preview is: Can Patricia really change the culture in the locker room in time to save his own job? Or is the first-time head coach simply over his head?
The Lions certainly backed Patricia up this offseason signing players like defensive Trey Flowers, wide receiver Danny Amendola, slot cornerback Justin Coleman plus drafting tight end T.J. Hockenson, linebacker Jahlani Tavai, and safety Will Harris with their top three picks.
With more of his kind of players in the locker room, can Patricia implement enough change in one season to flip his 6-10 rookie coaching record? Schwab actually thinks the Lions will experience a repeat of 2018, posting another six-win season.
For longtime fans of the Lions, the question is do you believe in Matt Patricia? And if so, what kind leash do you think ownership will allow him and general manager, Bob Quinn? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Lions legend Herman Moore surprises Detroit high school players – Fox 2 Detroit
It’s always great to read stories about how former members of the Lions comeback and help the community, even decades after they’ve played. In the above story, it’s the legendary Herman Moore stopped by and visited with students from Loyola high school. The longtime Lions’ All-Pro receiver also delivered the news that several thousands of dollars is being poured into the school’s football program.
TWENTYMAN: 5 numbers to keep up – DetroitLions.com
In the above piece, Tim Twentyman highlights the number 38.7. It’s a stat the Lions actually led the league in last year and that’s allowed percentage of yards gained after the catch. The Detroit defense allowed a total of 1,509 yards after catch in 2018, the lowest amount in the NFL.
According to Twentyman that translates to outstanding tackling by Detroit’s defense, which is hopefully a sign that Patricia’s methods are actually working despite the record in the standings.
Detroit Lions camp quandary 2019: Sorting out the bubble players – SideLion Report
Contributor Michael Kirkland always does a great job every Friday of providing quality content on our site. And this past Friday was no exception. In the above article that hasn’t gotten enough attention, Mike dives deep into the Lions roster and highlights some of the players he believes are on the roster bubble in Motown. It is certainly worth a read if you missed it.
Every NFL team’s X-factor entering the 2019 season – Pro Football Focus
The football analytic site points to wide receiver Kenny Golladay as the team’s X-factor heading into the new season. And it makes sense when you consider the Lions will likely be a more run-centric team under new offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. And that fact is not lost on opposing defensive coordinators who may stack the box more often to try and stop the run, giving the talented third-year wideout more favorable opportunities in coverage..