At this point in the offseason, much of the focus is on how every NFL team has improved over the past few months. With a 0-0 record, every franchise has a chance to win the championship. But longtime fans of the Detroit Lions know better than most that things rarely unfold the way you hope.
Certainly, the Lions’ performance from just last season is a perfect example of that. Despite putting up three winning seasons in four years, head coach Jim Caldwell was promptly shown the door after the 2017 season. And the keys of a 9-7 franchise were handed to a two-time Super Bowl-winning defensive coordinator in Matt Patricia.