Matt Patricia fundamentally perfect fit for Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are expected to tab New England Patriots’ defensive coordinator Matt Patricia as their new head coach, whose attention to detail will vastly improve the team.

Barring a last-second disaster – and the Detroit Lions have seen their fair share of those – Matt Patricia will be the team’s next head coach.

Everything Patricia brings to the table seems like a perfect fit for the Lions: a winning pedigree, a defensive mind, closeness to Bill Belichick, an ability to get the most out of his players.

In addition to all of those attractive traits, Patricia’s penchant for detail and focus on fundamentals should be coveted most of all. For years, and spanning multiple head coaches, the Lions have been known to be their own worst enemy – snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and reinventing ways to lose that were previously unthinkable.

The difference between consistently great teams and mediocre ones is the ability to execute the fundamentals.

As I came across this tweet from James Light this past weekend, a quote attributed to Patricia, I could not help but think how beneficial this mindset would be to the Lions:

It is a simple statement, but a powerful one. It explains so much about the Patriots’ success and equally as much about the Lions’ lack thereof.

Every team makes mistakes. Dropped passes, errant throws, missed field goals, and missed tackles are all part of the game. Concern becomes real when the mistakes are consistent, and it becomes horrific when the mistakes consistently come from the coaching staff.

In consecutive weeks this season, the Lions had less than eleven players on the field for game-changing plays, and it doomed them each time.

Against the Vikings on Thanksgiving Day, the Lions had just ten players on field, resulting in a touchdown. The following week against the Ravens, the Lions had nine (!!!) defenders on the field for a crucial third-and-seven play, resulting in a 27-yard reception.

For all Caldwell’s positive attributes, it was errors such as these that perhaps made Bob Quinn’s decision quite easy. A team cannot be expected to be fundamentally sound if the coaching staff is not.

Patricia, if hired, is walking into a terrific situation for a first-time head coach. He has a franchise quarterback in his prime, the team has close to $48 million in cap space, and a defense loaded with talented players.

Next: Will Matt Patricia bring the wild beard to Detroit?

A renewed and concentrated focus on fundamentals could be the missing piece that puts the Lions over the top.

Finally.