It's no longer if, but when and who.
Any scenario left suggesting head coach Matt Patricia will turn around the Lions evaporated during a 35-29 loss to the Saints Sunday.
The Lions had a 14-0 lead and it disintegrated. It's become a familiar lament. The Lions' defense is brutal, both schematically and in terms of effort. The Lions are out-coached week after week. This time the Saints' Sean Payton schooled Patricia. Payton's team was missing six starters, including arguably the best receiver in football, Michael Thomas, and both starting cornerbacks.
Still, the Saints garnered 392 yards, scored touchdowns on five straight possessions and converted twice on third down during a crucial drive in the fourth quarter while holding the lead.
A winning message simply isn't getting through from Patricia, and it's the bye week. Sheila Ford Hamp presents an unknown as the Lions primary owner, but this much is sure: She would face virtually no criticism if Patricia, who has a 10-25-1 record as head coach, were relieved of his duties.
But there is the bigger picture, too. A major reason the Lions are in this predicament is poor roster-building by general manager Bob Quinn. He's been inept at providing personnel for the defense, and the Lions' offense still breaks down at key times despite all the resources devoted to it.
The truth is the previous general manager Martin Mayhew, who struggled in his own right, left Quinn with a far better team than the one the Lions presently field.
I get it. The Saints' Drew Brees and Lions' quarterback Matthew Stafford rank 1-2 all-time in passing yards per game.
But we saw a graphic example Sunday why Stafford isn't remotely in the same class as Brees.
Not only did Brees, with his team on the ropes with a 1-2 start in addition to the numerous injuries, lead a comeback, but he stuck the dagger into the Lions at the end.
Meanwhile, Stafford had his typical puzzling moments. As the Saints were rallying, he threw a key interception into the end zone. He badly underthrew the pass.
He later took an unnecessary sack at the end of the first half which put the Lions out of field-goal range.
These are same type of mistakes Stafford has made all season, with the lone exception being vs. the Cardinals. It's not a coincidence it's been the Lions' only victory.
The Lions hit rock-bottom with an 0-16 mark in 2008. Their reward was being able to draft Stafford first overall. He has definitely had his moments of brilliance the ensuing dozen years, but Stafford's been the one constant on the Lions' treadmill to nowhere.
Sooner or later, the other shoe always drops from him.
It's never been more clear the Lions need to start from scratch, as painful as that may be given their stumbling past.
The sooner they get the ball rolling in that direction, the better.
