With nothing to play for, Matthew Stafford shouldn’t risk further injury
By Robert Jones
With the Detroit Lions season essentially over, Matt Patricia shouldn’t risk Matthew Stafford’s health by playing him anymore this season.
The Detroit Lions are done. Dead in the water, and not even the comeback magic of Matthew Stafford can save them. Even if he was healthy.
At 3-5-1 the Lions reside in the NFC North cellar. A half a game behind the Chicago Bears who beat them last Sunday in the first of their two annual divisional matchups this season. Overall the Lions are 0-3 against their divisional foes. It’s time to turn out the lights, the parties over.
So what is there left to play for? A high draft pick? Well, losing shouldn’t be a problem for this franchise. Perhaps they might be playing for Matt Patricia’s job? Given the history of the Ford family, I wouldn’t be overly surprised if Martha Firestone Ford has not made a decision as yet.
Some fans may say that if these Lions can capture lightning in a bottle and go on a roll, perhaps that would ensure Patricia’s job. Even if it would surely be too little too late to wedge themselves into the playoff picture.
Then there is general manager Bob Quinn. I would say that Quinn and Patricia are connected at the hip. If one goes, they probably both go.
But if the Lions do get on a roll, what does that mean? Consider the strides this defense made last season after acquiring Damon ‘Snacks’ Harrison. They were greatly improved in the second half of the season after being lost throughout the first half of it. The Lions finished as the number 10 overall defense in the NFL.
So the assumption was that the defense, armed with additions that fit this scheme, would take off this year. The defensive line would dominate and the defense overall was destined to be a top 5 overall unit. No one was going to be doing much scoring on Patricia’s boys. Instead they are atrocious, awful and just plain bad.
With that being the case, could any of us, including the Lions ownership, really be sold on the idea that a positive finish will carry over to next season?