I Have More to Say About Matt Patricia's Lions

A more reputable outlet would look at this morning's post about the demented nature of Detroit Lions fandom and gently suggest that's just about enough screaming into the abyss for an individual writer. And that right there is why it's great to be at a blog with a muddled flow chart and unencumbered access to the content management system. Because, folks, there's a few more things I'd like to say about the general enterprise under the stewardship of Matt Patricia and there's no one here to stop me.

For instance, did you know that the Lions brass ran Jim Caldwell out of town for the sin of repeatedly winning nine games in a season? Did you know that Patricia, now in his third year at the helm, has compiled a 9-23-1 record? Did you further know that 11 of those losses have come as a result of blown fourth-quarter leads?

You can gussy this up like a political spin doctor and say he's almost won half his games. You shouldn't, of course, but you could.

Patricia, who stubbornly chose to play man coverage despite being thinner than dollar-store toilet paper at cornerback late yesterday, was asked postgame if, uh, perhaps he's the commonality when it comes to all this fourth-quarter groin shooting. His response was equal parts enraging and laughable.

That play he's referring to is the Malcolm Butler interception in Super Bowl XLIX. That was more than five years ago! When Patricia was a limitless Bill Belichick disciple and not a resounding failure as a head coach. He said that out loud!

A person can understand that it's not great to have one's prowess questioned. And how getting defensive like that is human. On the other hand — Good God — is this ever a masterclass in not getting it.

He hasn't gotten it since Day 1. He's no closer to getting it. The Lions are farther, not closer, to being a competitor. Through it all, he's acted like the smartest guy in the room no matter how many tests he's failed.

Again, Lions fans absolutely do not deserve better. Patricia shows the exact same level of indifference to winning football that the franchise has for six decades. In that way, they are a perfect match. But any other organization would realize time is running out if it hasn't already on this experiment. Any other organization would be insulted by a coach using a five-year-old highlight from another team as his shining moment because there hasn't been one at his current job.

Oh well. Surely more on this disaster next week.