The Detroit Lions fired Jim Caldwell, and have been on the hunt for a new head coach. It seems like they’ve found their guy.
The Detroit Lions finished this past season at 9-7, and missed the playoffs once again. It seemed like last season’s postseason appearance would be a stepping stone for a team that was seemingly on the rise. Well, this year’s setback prompted the Lions front office to fire Jim Caldwell, and search for a new coach. It looks like they’ve found their guy.
New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is rumored to be the Lions next head coach. This is a pretty good hire for the Lions who historically have not made the greatest decisions in head coaches outside of Caldwell.
Patriots’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia is likely to become the Detroit Lions’ next head coach, league sources told ESPN. More on Sunday NFL Countdown.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) January 14, 2018
Bringing in a defensive-minded coach like Patricia might be what the Lions need to get them over the hump and become a consistent playoff team. Over the past few seasons their failures have come on the defensive side of the ball, undercutting Matthew Stafford and Co. They ranked in the bottom half of the league in points allowed per game, passing yards allowed and total yards allowed this year, furthering that point.
Next: Georgia football fans can't have nice things
Fortunately for the Lions they do have some pieces on the defensive side of the ball to work with. They have Darius Slay, Glover Quinn and Jarrod Davis, all cornerstones. Ezekiel Ansah will be a free agent, but you can bet the Lions will do everything in their power to retain him even if it means utilizing the franchise tag.
The team isn’t far away from success because their offense is still pretty good even with a non-existent running game. Stafford hasn’t had the benefit of a 100-yard rusher in any game since Reggie Bush was there, but he still manages to put them in positions to win. Stafford is in his prime, and it would be a crime if the team didn’t do whatever they could to build a winning team around him. Hiring Patricia would be a good start.