Lions: Martha Firestone Ford can’t expect this to work

Detroit Lions owner Martha Firestone Ford sent out a memo to all of their season ticket holders explaining why they’ve decided to retain both general manager Bob Quinn and head coach Matt Patricia for the 2020 season.

It’s likely something many franchises do. This is just typical public relations type stuff.  I’m sure some fans venture out to their mailboxes or drop boxes, pull out a pile of mail and see that blue Detroit Lions logo on the top left-hand corner of the envelope and are instantly filled with joy.

Look, the Detroit Lions care about me, I’m important, you exclaim to your neighbor through the slats of your privacy fence.

The fact of the matter is, they don’t care about us.  This is just another act of damage control. That letter trying to smooth things over isn’t sincere, it’s a ploy to try and keep as many fans interested in this below-average product year after year. It’s to try and entice you to renew your season tickets.  Making sure you show up to the stadium and purchase all the overpriced food, drinks, and merchandise.

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Does Martha really think this is going to work?

I’m not here to completely bash the ownership and write that I feel the team should be sold.  That’s beyond me; I don’t necessarily feel the team needs to be sold; I think the organization perhaps could use a better advisor.  Instead of selling the team, maybe Martha could move on from Rod Wood?  Just a thought.

I understand why the Lions have decided to retain Matt Patricia.  It’s hard to turn things around overnight, but the main issue I have is, he inherited a 9-7 team, and they’ve consistently regressed.  It’s the same GM in place, so unlike the 49ers who’ve turned things around in the third year of an entirely new regime, Detroit has merely replaced a coach, but they are heading into year three, so here’s hoping.

Another concern of mine is the results on defense.  Matt Patricia is supposed to be this defensive genius that runs a ‘bend but don’t break’ style of defense that isn’t just broken at the moment they are shattered.

Sure injuries have played a part in this teams’ lack of success, but every team in the NFL suffers a plethora of injuries throughout the year.  Look at the New Orleans Saints, they lost franchise quarterback Drew Brees for an extended period of time, but they had a backup play prepared and didn’t skip a beat.  Something Detroit lacks.

Mrs. Ford says she expects this team to be playing ‘important games’ next December, or a change will need to be made.  Can’t you see the Lions going 9-7 next year and still finishing third in the division?  This regime won’t be fired because they would have played ‘important’ games down the stretch but fell just a little short.

Half the fans will say the team is going in the right direction and, like every year since 1991, or maybe even 1957, will genuinely believe next year is the year.  The other half will say, well, you fired Jim Caldwell after back to back 9-7 seasons, yet are willing to retain Patricia?

If it’s seriously playoffs or bust and Martha sticks to her guns, I can get behind that.  Only time will tell if this is just damage control or if Mrs. Ford is serious.

At the moment, it’s a mess, but maybe, just maybe the Detroit Lions will overachieve for once and win the NFC North in ’20, and we will all be ecstatic.  Then the dream was over, and we woke up.

Maybe 2021 will be ‘our’ year?