Detroit Lions: Former QB Dan Orlovsky sounds off on Matt Patricia

Former Detroit Lions backup quarterback and current ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky has been highly-critical of Detroit head coach Matt Patricia.

Dan Orlovsky is the most regularly-visible Detroit Lions alumni throughout the world of sports. On a daily basis, he’s become a regular on a multitude of ESPN network shows where he’s currently employed as an analyst.

Now, the vocal commentator is using his platform to question Lions head coach Matt Patricia and his body of work since controversially replacing Jim Caldwell in 2018. The former-Lions backup appeared on ESPN shows such as Keyshawn, JWill & Zubin, and NFL Live following Detroit’s 35-29 loss to the New Orleans Saints at Ford Field last Sunday.

Orlovsky questioned Patricia’s comments in defense of his tenure in Detroit and provided his analysis of the franchise’s current status-quo versus the locker room culture under Caldwell.

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He also called Patricia’s comments about the challenges the coach has faced since arriving in Detroit “trash”.

Saying that, while strongly maintaining that the Lions, under their former coach, were “a good football team” and that players enjoyed playing for Caldwell in Detroit.

Here’s a tweet with a link to Dan Orlovsky’s thoughts and comments about Lions head coach, Matt Patricia, with some comparisons to the Caldwell era in Detroit.

He also added, “Matthew Stafford was playing as good as he has in his career. That was because of coach Caldwell, and we were an organization that was ascending,” while suggesting the team’s culture within the locker room and throughout the community were good.

The ESPN commentator continued by questioning Patricia’s methods of deflecting difficult questions pertaining to his tenure, as well as failing to hold himself accountable for the team’s putrid on-field performance over the course of the last three seasons.

The delivered take came just days after Patricia spoke with reporters following the Saint loss where he was quoted as saying, “When I came to Detroit, there was a lot of work to do. That’s what we’re trying to do” in response to a reporter asking the question of why people should still believe he’s the right coach to turn the Lions around.

The coach’s tenure since being hired to replace Caldwell has been less than admirable, as well as highly controversial. Partially, because Patricia’s record in the Motor City since taking over is 10-25-1 compared to the team’s 36 wins in four seasons under his predecessor.

The Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to squander a double-digit lead and lose in six straight games when blowing a 14-0 lead against the Saints.

Orlovsky finished by suggesting that the Lions were an organization that had been built for growth under Caldwell but have instead shown massive regression since being fired as the team’s head coach in favor of the increasingly-delusional Patricia.

While Orlovsky may be onto something, the likelihood of Matt Patricia being removed from his seat as head coach of the Detroit Lions is still low. Even after last Sunday’s loss to the Saints producing a 1-3 record in 2020.