Detroit Lions: Matt Patricia’s best chance to win is right now

Quinn and Patricia are past the point of no return

So even though Lions fans are tired of excuses, the Ford family, and all the losing, there is one fact that some in the media and even many fans need to understand; next season will be Matt Patricia’s best opportunity to win.

The relative success that Jim Caldwell had as the Lions head coach before he was shown the door in favor of Matt Patricia has caused greater scrutiny on everything that Patricia does. The players really played hard for Caldwell and despite his sub-par in-game management, the Lions mostly won under his guidance.

After Caldwell led the Lions to an 11-5 record in his inaugural season, he followed up with records of 7-9, 9-7 and 9-7 before narrowly missing the playoffs in the 2017 season and then being sent packing on New Year’s day 2018.

There are many who still debate the validity of that move, but the thing that has crushed Matt Patricia’s credibility the most is that he has taken a playoff-ready team and embarked on an almost complete rebuild instead of building on a team that had at least been winning in three out of Caldwell’s four years.

But now Bob Quinn and Matt Patricia are way past the point of no return. They have now officially been building their monster for three offseasons. It is justifiably time for results.

Yet even with all the questions surrounding the Lions, this next season is Patricia’s best chance to field a winner making the mandate to win pretty good timing.

Exhibit ‘A’ for that school of thought is that Matthew Stafford is healthy, he thrived in offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell’s system last season and the talent level of the ground game has been improved.

With additional talent that should upgrade the offensive line and backfield along with the return of one of the NFL’s best-receiving trios and second-year tight end T.J. Hockenson who should make some major strides, the Lions offense has the look of being a difficult task for opposing defenses to stop.