Matt Patricia will be clinging to job if Lions lose to 49ers

Matt Patricia will have some uncomfortable questions to answer if the Detroit Lions lose to the San Francisco 49ers and fall to 0-2.

Things weren’t supposed to go like this for the Detroit Lions. When they hired Matt Patricia as head coach, the franchise without a playoff win since 1991 was supposed to get a sprinkling of the New England Patriots’ magic dust.

Instead, Patricia looked shorn of magic and out of ideas when the Lions started their new era with a humbling 48-17 loss to the New York Jets in Week 1. Losing by 31 points at home to a team with a rookie quarterback, and on Monday Night Football no less, left the Lions and Patricia facing some difficult questions.

The questions will get tougher once the San Francisco 49ers put a beating on the Lions at Levi’s Stadium. San Fran also lost in Week 1, but unlike the Lions, emerged with some credit from their 24-16 defeat on the road against the formidable Minnesota Vikings.

Jimmy Garoppolo looked like just another quarterback for the first time in his career. Garoppolo’s first loss in the pros took in three interceptions. Yet Jimmy G is far from the only NFL passer made to look foolish by Minnesota’s tough and resourceful defense.

He can rely on head coach Kyle Shanahan, who is a sketchy play-caller, but perhaps the best designer of plays in the league. He crafted some beauties to free tight end George Kittle and fullback Kyle Juszczyk in the passing game.

The Niners can also be encouraged by how well their defense played for long stretches. DeForest Buckner was in dominant mood, logging 2.5 sacks for a front seven capable of bullying most O-lines in football.

San Francisco’s talent and creativity on both  sides of the ball spells more trouble for Patricia. Frankly, it’s trouble the Lions have needlessly brought on themselves.

Patricia was handed the keys to the kingdom despite a largely dismal stint running the Patriots’ defense. Sure, said stint took in a pair of Super Bowl wins, although he can thank Darrell Bevell’s awful play-calling and the Atlanta Falcons losing their nerve for those.

Overall, Patricia’s defenses in New England were downright dreadful. They surrendered yards as though they were given away free in a cereal box.

His units rarely mustered a credible pass rush while also being routinely trampled all over on the ground.

If this sounds depressing familiar to Lions fans, it’s because you saw all of these failings against the Jets. New York amassed 169 yards rushing, while Darnold added 198 more through the air on his first NFL start.

Patricia usually got a free pass for his middling defenses in New England because of the Bill Belichick factor. It’s an amazing shield able to protect what would be considered poor performances and questionable decisions on other teams.

Patricia’s defense may have been soft, but Pats fans will reference points allowed stats. They might also reference the many different looks Patricia can show an offense.

Those things sound great, but the Patriots win because of Tom Brady and the offense. Not because Belichick is willing to make concessions on defense.

Don’t believe me? Cast your mind back to Super Bowl LII and ask yourself how much of a difference would a few solid series from Patricia’s unit have made against the Philadelphia Eagles?

Patricia doesn’t have Belichick to lean on in the Motor City. It’s a problem because his issues aren’t even limited to the defense.

The Lions’ offense remains a mess because Jim Bob Cooter is still in a job as coordinator. He might help Matthew Stafford pad his numbers, but the idea is to win games.

As Kevin Patra of the league’s official site put it, those close to the Lions are painfully aware of Cooter’s failings:

"While nationally he’s viewed as the man who raised Stafford’s play, locally there’s been mounting frustration about predictable play-calling, unimaginative route combinations, inability to scheme a run game, and some of the worst red-zone efficiency in the NFL."

Meanwhile, NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo has gone into detail about Patricia possibly losing the players, even at this early stage:

It might be Karmic justice if this did happen after Detroit unceremoniously canned Jim Caldwell and capable assistants such as defensive coordinator Teryl Austin this offseason.

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Caldwell only guided the Lions to three winning seasons out of four and a pair of playoff appearances. It wasn’t great work, but given Detroit’s recent history probably solid enough to put Caldwell in contention for a statue outside Ford Field.

Junking a winning regime, albeit one not without its issues, just to try and absorb secondhand some of the Patriots’ “culture” smacks of arrogance.

It could put Patricia in the firing line already if the 49ers pile on more misery.