Detroit Lions: As far as Matt Patricia is concerned, there is no ‘I’ in team

There is no ‘I’ in ‘Detroit Lions’ anymore

Matt Patricia is such a devout believer in the ‘Patriot Way’ that he is willing to trade talent for less than their value in order to create a complete ‘yes man’ atmosphere. The ‘Patriot Way’ is all about the sum total of the team being greater than its individual parts. Players who toe the line and follow orders are what Patricia wants. Not talented individuals who have opinions.

The perfect players for Matt Patricia’s system apparently ask ‘how high’ before they are told to jump.

Plain and simple there is no ‘I’ in ‘Detroit Lions’ anymore, regardless of what your English teacher may tell you. In a way, I guess you can call it a zen thing more than a literal thing.

This way of life has worked for two decades for the New England Patriots. Players come to town, take an oath they have to observe as religiously as a Buddhist monk, and the Patriots win championships. Players that break their Patriot vows are cast out faster than Usain Bolt sprinting to another gold medal.

This is what Matt Patricia seemingly aspires for. No personalities, no face of the franchise, just the pure adoration of the Lions logo and lots of winning. The problem has been that they haven’t won.

Having players buy into a team’s system absolutely gives any franchise their best opportunity to win, but it’s hard for grown men to buy-in when they are treated like schoolboys who will be expelled because they have a personality.

The other problem locally is that Detroit fans are almost more about the players than the team. There is almost no doubt that Lions fans are really among the best fans in the NFL. Why? Because despite six decades of ineptitude they continue to sell out Ford Field and believe that one day this franchise will get it right.

But not to be lost in the shuffle is how much the fans have loved the players regardless of the losing. Barry Sanders was all world and had admirers everywhere football is played. The same could be said of  Calvin Johnson.

Then there are players that aren’t universally loved by the fan base, but still stir passion within the hearts of loyal followers of the Honolulu Blue and Silver. Matthew Stafford holds every team record for passing, but while he is considered to be the solution to all the Lions problems by some fans, there are just as many fans as who think he is the problem.

The point is  Lions fans are invested in their players. Quandre Diggs was very popular among the Detroit fan base but was apparently shipped out of town because he refused to be anything but his own man and was willing to say what he thought. Which wasn’t really controversial at all. Except perhaps in the locker room if he questioned the lack of results the ‘Patriot Way’ was having in Detroit.