When the Detroit Lions hired Matt Patricia as their new head coach in 2018, most figured, at the very least, that their defense would improve. After all, Patricia had spent the previous six years leading the New England Patriots’ defense to six-straight conference championship appearances and two Super Bowl victories as their defensive coordinator.
Yet, the Lions’ defensive performance under Patricia has been less than ideal as the third-year head coach and general manager Bob Quinn continue to build a winning culture in Detroit. Last season, Detroit’s total defense ranked 31st in the league allowing 400.