Unless the Detroit Lions either reach the Super Bowl or completely tank this year, it will probably take a few seasons before we really know whether Matt Patricia was the “right” choice to take over as coach.
You certainly can’t jump to conclusions based on the result of one game. Even so, there seems to be quite a bit riding on Patricia’s upcoming coaching debut than for any other of the Lions’ recent head coaches.
There are many reasons for the higher stakes. First off, Patricia has never been a head coach at any level of football; yet, his ties to New England brought a certain mystique and assumption of success to his hiring.