2019 has been an absolute train-wreck for the Detroit Lions and though the entire blame cannot (and should not) be placed on the back of head coach Matt Patricia, he is certainly part of the problem.
Prior to hiring Patricia away from the New England Patriots, Lions GM Bob Quinn made it clear that winning nine games in a season was unacceptable.
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Well, guess what, Patricia is nearly complete with his second season with the Lions and the team has nine wins…TOTAL!
Some insist it time to move on from Patricia (and Quinn, for that matter) while others believe the ‘defensive guru' should get at least one more season to right the ship.
But regardless of what the Lions ultimately decide to do, there are two proven candidates they must contact before making their final decision. Both candidates would be immediate upgrades over Patricia and if they are willing to take the job, even if it means giving them complete control, ala Bill Belichick in New England, the Lions should make it happen.
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The two proven candidates I am referring to are former Green Bay Packers head coach Mike McCarthy and former Carolina Panthers head coach, Ron Rivera.
While with the Packers (2006-2018), McCarthy led his team to a 125-77-2 record, which included double-digit wins in 8 of 13 seasons. He also led the Packers to the NFC Championship game or beyond on four separate occasions, including a Super Bowl XLV win following the 2010 season.
As far as Rivera goes, he led the Panthers to an overall record of 76-63 in nine seasons, which included four playoff berths. Rivera's best season as a head coach came in 2015 when the Panthers went 15-1 before losing to the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50.
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The Detroit Lions may play on keeping Matt Patricia for another season or they may decide to go in a different direction but sometimes an opportunity arises when you have to make a bold decision.
If either Mike McCarthy or Ron Rivera is interested in coming to Detroit, the powers that be had better be bold and make an offer.
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