POD Article - "If not now for Matt Patricia, then when?"

It looks like this offseason will line up nicely with that “make or break” mandate and the wishes of many here that Quinntricia GTFO of Detroit after year 3.

I realize I am in the Minority, but I like what he is doing. I think if you want to win consistently you have to have tough players and that means tough mentally also. I am all in what he is doing.

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It’s not hard to understand the negativity in the fanbase but it borders on a “rooting to fail” mentaility with a number of commenters. Doom and gloom shouldn’t be how this fanbase reacts to nearly everything this regime does and says.

With as much as we have perpetually sucked for our whole lifetimes, Detroit Lions fans should primarily be THE MOST bull headed, rabid, kool-aid drinking, bordering on delusional fanbase in professional sports.

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Some of the narrative is a bit over the top
I’m closer to agreeing with you than jumping off the wagon
But they have to start producing
That 3-4-1 start could just as easily been 5-3 with the easiest part of the schedule in front of them
They still need pieces on the DL, a CB, RB and WR
But I’m thinking, overall, it’s not a terrible FA haul
I’m not so sure Slay will be a big loss

Anyway, it’s better to see what comes than running around saying everything is a disaster

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There is no “make or break” mandate, I don’t care what Martha say’s. IF you get rid of these jokers after the 2020 season THEN you have a whole team that doesn’t fit what the next guy is likely going to want to do. I would make 3 out of the first 4 draft picks D players, no doubt about it. The draft is deep for us on positions of need on both sides of the ball with the possible exception of CB. The biggest problem I see is that they might be able to “get their guys” to start, but depth will still be a huge problem. Look for the Lions to be active when final cuts are made right before the season starts.

I’m tired about arguing this.

Work from home turned into argue about Matt Patricia from home yesterday

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Then answer me why teams that win all the time want the players that you claim aren’t tough.

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Wrath brother…

What does it mean to “win all the time”?

Only one team truly wins each yr. the other 31 fail at the goal all are “trying to win”.

The pats went 16-0 and no one really cares as they lost the SB that same yr.

Yes, it feels better momentarily in a fans life when we win a few extra games, but it’s all ends the same for 31 teams.

So, outside the pats, no team consistently wins…

Just my Humble pov bro!’

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Someone thinking the Lions, or a disturbingly large portion of their fan base, are going to put anybody involved with the team in a “there can be no excuses this time” situation. :rofl: :joy:

I would tend to agree that the message of any mandate has been misconstrued by fans and the media. In reality, the ownership simply said their expectation is to compete for the playoffs. Who really knows what that means when the end of the season comes.

These two signed a 5 year deal together so in my mind, the clock on 3 years to win a playoff game starts this season. And as you and the article say, the personnel now fit this scheme and would require another retooling when the next guys come in to replace Quinntricia.

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This defense problems are not all player related. Patricia’s systems is flawed and outdated. And this year will further expose this now he has no one left to blame. His guys are in place it’s all on him now. You change the players all u want but it’s his system that going to fail.

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But as Abject points out, “fail” is all relative. Unless you are in your 70’s, Lions fans only know the word fail. Success in the next 3 seasons will only be defined as winning a single playoff game. If that happens this year, you will see both these guys get extentions.

Patricia “wins” this year, and validates his system, by simply not finishing in the basement of the division and NFC this year. An obvious step up will be considered a sign of progress and good enough to let them finish out their contracts.

Patricia’s is not the Patriots, and nothing he has done or put on the field resembles anything close to the Patriots. So the whole Patriots is great has no bearing on this team. Patricia’s just like any other coach who prospered off working with Bill and Tom.
And say what u will about changing culture but shitting on your players and be a hard ass doesn’t change cultrue. The only thing that does is winning and he has figured out how to do that.

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But the guy in charge who wants his players to be mentally tough is mentally weak. It’s not wanting them to fail, its wanting them to either succeed now or fail now. Don’t drag it out for 3 more years and waste everyones time,. money, careers. I would LOVE to be wrong about Quinn and Patricia, but Quinn has made the roster worse over 5 years, and PAtricia has done nothing but lose, excuses be damned.

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Do not read any Lions message boards at the beginning of the season? Everyone predicts 11 or 12 wins and if you don’t think they are going to run roughshod over the rest of the league then you get labeled as a hater.

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But it’s all part of the process don’t u know.
And it’s all about changing the culture don’t u know.

The funny thing is there guys that even with all Patricias people in place still thinks he just needs more time. This whole sherraid it’s just a remake of the Rod Marnelli days. Needing Special players , the whole get rid of your good players for hard workers. Changing culture. Watching the team get worse each year while saying its all part of the plan. If Stafford didn’t play at all last year we might have went 0-16.

And I don’t think there is one fan that wouldn’t love Patricia to come out next year and take us to Superbowl. Most just don’t think it’s possible under him.

My biggest concern is that it appears Quinn/Patricia are trying to replicate too much of the Patriot’s Way that worked in NE with Belichick and Brady, but not necessarily will be as successful in Detroit. Not that it can’t, but IMHO the game changes and the league adapts, so what used to work before might require some changes now. If we are drafting lesser talented players cuz it fits our system, then the overall talent on the team is reduced over time. IOW, I’m not sure it is wiser to make the player fit the system or adapt the system to fit the strengths of your players. My feeling is that The Lions are trying to force the players to buy into the Patriot Way without allowing feedback from them. Word gets around, and if that is the case then it could be that fewer good FAs will come here unless they are overpaid or are just here for a year or two value on the FA market in the future.

Secrecy is a big deal in NE, almost to the point of being paranoid. And the same thing is happening here in Detroit, this whole thing with Slay surfaced in part because he was training with other corners around the league to improve his game. Which in my view should be encouraged, you ought to want your players to be as good or great as they possibly can, and yet Patricia went out of his way to discourage that, in terms that were offensive to Slay and others. Not good. Maybe Slay woulda left anyway, seeking the top dollar he can get. But the word gets around the league, and the thing is this: NE has 6 SBs while Detroit hasn’t even been to the game or even the game that gets you to the game. Which means your credibility has not been established for you to trade on. Players will put up with shit to win games, nobody likes to lose and besides it can help your own value when your contract is up. But frankly, the Lions are losers and unless that changes this year then it will get harder to sign good FAs IMHO. And that is why Quinn and Patricia need to win this year. How much winning is TBD by each of us but mostly by Mrs Ford.

Maybe some posters and talking heads have their heads in the clouds when the season is around the corner but those were the days of Caldwell taking the next step like 4-5 years ago.

These past couple of offseasons have only seen .500 predictions as a general outlook, especially from the media. Will anyone in The Den speak up and admit they are one of the “everyone” you claim?

We’ve won 11 games maybe twice in the last 20+ years? Even we as Lions fans haven’t set the bar that high… 10 wins or a division title or playoff appearance is the best we can get in any given year and should be the pinnicle of expectations for this ownership and fanbase.

Brady was the emerging leader in Belichick’s second season and he was mentally tough enough to deal with Bill’s mental and mind games. If he wasn’t mentally strong enough, the team wouldn’t have developed into a dynasty.
Add to that it happened 20 years ago where players didn’t have the power that they have now. Billy Bad Ass coaches don’t seem to do that well anymore. Times have changed, especially with free agency.

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Absolutely. Every year at the beginning of the season it happens.
Heck, at the halfway point of the season last year, posters were making the case where the Lions would win 6 or 7 of their last 8 games.