Detroit Lions: Don’t get the cart before the horse, Sheila
By Robert Jones
For the Detroit Lions to have a chance to succeed, the new regime has to work well together.
The Detroit Lions have two vacancies to fill. Sheila Ford Hamp has some big decisions to make. Luckily, she also has some time before she needs to make those decisions.
Like a house of cards, the Detroit Lions have collapsed under the guidance of former general manager Bob Quinn and former head coach Matt Patricia. A deck that many would say was devoid of aces.
After four and a half years, Bob Quinn was asked to leave. Matt Patricia’s stay was much shorter at two and a half seasons, but boy oh boy did it seem longer.
The question that was continually asked up until their untimely (because it didn’t happen sooner) departure, was who deserved most of the blame. It was a fair question to be sure and there are reasons why either one could shoulder the blame.
Bob Quinn was unable to stock the Lions roster with play-makers and his draft choices had a nasty habit of not being able to crack the lineup and contribute. That being said he is responsible for some of Detroit’s better players like Kenny Golladay, Frank Ragnow, and the resurgent Taylor Decker.
However, he is also responsible for hiring Matt Patricia who was his hand-chosen pick to be the Lions savior. Sure he did his due diligence and conducted a thorough interview process, but there was never a doubt as to who his choice would be.
As for Matt Patricia, he tore down players in practice and was completely hard-headed about running his system. He had his fingerprints all over this horrible defense and even the offense as well. While he may have evolved somewhat in his approach to handling players over his time here, he was unable to get them to play at an acceptable level to win consistently.
The idea of throwing former Patriots at all the Lions problems didn’t work in the locker room or on the field. Ultimately, Patricia, as well as Quinn, deserve equal credit for sinking the Honolulu Blue and Silver to new lows.
However, they did accomplish one thing that the new regime will need to do in order to have a chance to turn this franchise around. Despite it not working out, both Quinn and Patricia were on the same page and were able to work with one voice.