Though Tom Brady and the New England Patriots were not playing their best football towards the end of the regular season, most figured they would flip the switch when the NFL Playoffs got underway.
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Well, the Patriots may have flipped the switch but the electricity must have been out on Saturday night as they lost 20-13 in Foxborough to the Tennessee Titans.
So, how could this first-round exit by the Patriots actually end up benefiting the Detroit Lions, who finished 3-12-1 in 2019?
Earlier in the week, the Lions announced that defensive coordinator Paul Pasqualoni was stepping down from his position, meaning head coach Matt Patricia would have to replace him during the offseason.
There are plenty of candidates for Patricia to consider but according to NFL rules, candidates who are still coaching for a team who is still alive in the playoffs are not allowed to be interviewed.
With the Lions being selected, along with the Cincinnati Bengals, to coach in the 2020 Senior Bowl, it would be very beneficial for Patricia to have his defensive coordinator (along with the rest of his staff) in place before they head to Mobile.
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One candidate who we have mentioned as a good fit for the Lions (though Patricia would handle the playcalling) is Patriots’ linebackers coach, Jerod Mayo.
Mayo, who is now available to interview because the Patriots lost, played under Patricia when Patricia was the defensive coordinator for the Patriots. This link has automatically has placed him in the conversation (at least amongst the media) to become the Lions next DC.
You can bet Patricia will look to hire a coordinator who agrees with his philosophy and scheme as he is will be very hands-on in terms of running the Lions defense in 2020.
In fact, if the Lions were to hire Mayo, who has just one season of experience as a defensive coach, I would expect Patricia to run the defense while Mayo assists.
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