Through Two Weeks Of Preseason, The Detroit Lions Have Not Been Impressive, But Matt Patricia Is Evaluating His Roster. This Isn’t A Reason To Panic.
I wrote an article last week about why Detroit Lions fans should not overreact to preseason. It seemed like most fans were in agreement with me. Everyone had their expectations tempered. Everyone seemed ready for some preseason struggles that come along with a coach, Matt Patricia, that is trying to figure out his roster.
That all changed after an ugly second preseason game against the New York Giants.
Fans were booing at Ford Field.
People are already overreacting to Matt Patricia as a coach.
People are calling Bob Quinn overrated.
The overreactions are rampant.
The second Detroit Lions preseason game was not pretty. There was a lot that needed improvement. That is exactly what these games are for. Matt Patricia is trying to evaluate his roster and figure out exactly where all of his guys fit.
That doesn’t always produce pretty results, and that was certainly the case in both of the Detroit Lions preseason games.
There was a lot of bad, and a little bit of good, but that ratio is exactly what most fans expected going into preseason. There is no reason to raise the bar now. As soon as football hits the television, our expectations immediately change. It’s important to take a step back and remember what these games are about.
These games are about preparation, not results. Wins and losses don’t matter, and I think that it is safe to assume that Matt Patrica understands this. We should too.
In the upcoming Detroit Lions preseason games, i think that what we need to be looking for is improvement on an individual level. Are the players becoming more comfortable with the new Matt Patricia defense? Are players looking like they understand their responsibilities.
While the third preseason game is generally the extended look at the starters, it is important to remember who these games are for. These games are meant to help evaluate the backups and determine the eventual 53 man roster. Matt Patricia will be paying close attention to the depth players and trying to inform himself on the tough decisions ahead.
Let’s not panic over two preseason games that will probably not be representative of the team in the regular season.
Thanks for checking out the article everyone. Go Lions! You can follow me on Twitter @Lanny1925 and be sure to join the community on the Detroit Lions subreddit.
