Prior to 2016-17, it had been more than 20 years since the Lions had back-to-back winning seasons. They fired the coach who snapped that drought and replaced him with Matt Patricia. It was Patricia, the Lions decided, who would take them over the top.
Patricia went 6-10 his first season. He's 3-7-1 in his second. Whatever momentum the organization was building prior to his arrival has been entirely snuffed out.
After losing to the last-place Redskins on Sunday, the new rock bottom of his tenure, Patricia was asked Monday about his disappointment in the results thus far.
“I’m always disappointed when we don’t win," he said. "I think everybody that knows me knows how competitive I am, and that’s what we’re trying to do. But I would say, for me and this team, we’re fighting every single week to try to go out and do our best and make sure we’re putting ourselves in a position where we can have that opportunity to win. I also know that this is a process. I know there’s a lot in play here that we’re going through, and we’re trying to build, and we’re trying to do the best we can to improve and get better.
"For us, we try to just stay on the task at hand for the week. It’s one-week seasons for us. On top of that, we’re looking at other things as far as the development of some of the younger players and the guys that are out there and even the guys that have been around for a while are improving and learning. For us, it’s just part of the process as we go forward.”
So, with a 9-17-1 record over the past two seasons, where does that process stand?
“It’s always hard to judge and say, 'This is exactly where we are and where we’re going to be,'" said Patricia. "I would say, I’m encouraged by the way the team right now fights every single week. I’m encouraged by some of the players that I see out there improving and playing more consistent. And even some of the players that have been forced into action because of whatever the circumstance may be, showing up in a positive way. I think those are all things that we look for as signs that we’re moving in a good direction, from the standpoint of trying to improve overall as a team."
Even after the team took a step back last season, Patricia's job never felt in jeopardy. The Lions made strides in the second half of 2018, particularly on defense. There was a belief they were ready to contend in the NFC North in 2019. And Patricia would always be afforded at least a couple years to mold the team to his liking.
Asked Monday about his relationship wih the Ford family, Patricia said, "I talk to them every week, and I like to keep those conversations private as far as that’s concerned, what we talk about and when we talk. But again, I’m just every single day coming in here trying to work and trying to get the team better. That’s my focus.”
Does he believe he'll be back next season?
“Again, I’m just grinding here today and trying to get ready for the game on Thursday," Patricia said. "I think that’s what we all do no matter what job we have. I think we all just go out and try to work hard at the job that day."
Any argument for retaining Patricia in 2020 would be built on the team's progress from last season. But it's hard to say where growth has occurred, aside from Matthew Stafford's terrific first half. The defense, which is supposed to be Patricia's area of expertise, has been decidedly worse. And that's after the Lions poured resources into it in the offseason.
Devon Kennard, one of the leaders of that defense, voiced his support for Patricia on Monday.
"For me personally, I’ve learned so much football since I came here last year. Great coach, cares about his guys. Does the very best he can week in and week out, puts us in position to succeed," said Kennard. "It hasn’t been a good season so far, but I’m a firm believer in riding with him until the wheels fall off. That’s my mentality."
Have the wheels not fallen off already?
"It’s obviously not good where we’re at, but I'm not the type to be in the middle of the season and to be jumping ship," Kennard said. "I’m trying to win a game on Thursday. All that other talk is noise. I think it’s disrespectful to this game to be worried about that kind of stuff. Got a big game on Thursday, it’s a big thing for fans, for this organization. That’s where our mind needs to be."