Matt Patricia Named Head Coach For Detroit Lions

Long before the Philadelphia Eagles were underdogs in this year’s playoffs and the Patriots were named the favorites to win Super Bowl LII before the playoffs even started, word around the NFL was that Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia would be the next head coach for the Detroit Lions. Of course some things changed as the Eagles just captured their first ever Super Bowl win against the Pats in a 41-33 upset. The only New England loss that majority of football fans expected were their offensive and defensive coordinators. Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniel’s is expected to become the next head coach for the Indianapolis Colts and it became official less than 16 hours that Patricia was announced as Jim Caldwell’s replacement.

What can Lions fans expect from Matt Patricia? I think they should be excited as they are slowly but surely bringing in people who have not only been winners but consistent winners. They grabbed Golden Tate who is a Super Bowl champion, Bob Quinn who was a jack of all trades with New England (also part of all five Super Bowl wins), and former rival TJ Lang (Green Bay Packer, also a Super Bowl champ). They need to act on it fast though since Matt Stafford’s prime years may not only be fading but also wasted.

How did Patricia land in Detroit though? People will definitely link Patricia to being an integral part of the success that New England has had while he’s been there but some people might overlook why Patricia was even considered in the first place. Bob Quinn, the Detroit Lions GM plays a major role in that. Quinn’s last role with New England was director of pro scouting and the connection between Quinn & Patricia goes deeper than just being Patriots but also spending a lot of time in film rooms and scouting reports.
Only time will tell if this is a bright hire but this was certainly the most obvious choice for the Lions who have never won a Super Bowl, left alone sniff a Super Bowl appearance. The experience is there despite it coming from places other than Detroit. The real question here is, how fast will they rise as contenders, stay in the middle, or fall to the bottom of the division? All of that aside, the big bad wolf is coming back and he wears #12 and plays for the Packers so all of the excitement can fade if he plays remotely close to how he usually does.