Lions vs. 49ers: Week 2 preview for San Francisco
By Chris Wilson
Week 2 by the numbers
The Lions were a respectable nine-win team in 2017 that barely missed the playoffs after making the playoffs in two of their three previous seasons under head coach Jim Caldwell. The 2017 Lions relied on their passing attack — led by Stafford — and a mid-level pass defense that helped make up for a sub-par rushing game and rush defense.
The Lions’ front office decided to part ways with Caldwell after the season, despite the fact that the head coach had three winning seasons in his four years with the team, which was easily the best track record of a Lions head coach in recent memory.
Detroit chose to replace Caldwell with New England Patriots defensive coordinator Matt Patricia in February. Three months later, Patricia and the Lions’ organization found themselves in hot water after news reports surfaced that Patricia was indicted on sexual assault charges in 1996, and that the Lions were unaware of his criminal history at the time of his hiring.
While Patricia didn’t start out on the best terms with his new team, he and Lions general manager Bob Quinn attempted to add talent to Detroit’s roster by adding running backs Kerryon Johnson and LeGarrette Blount as well as a pair of respectable veteran linebackers. The Lions also retained their top pass rusher Ezekiel Ansah, who hopes to play today in Santa Clara.
But just as Patricia was beginning to earn the trust of his players and the Detroit fan base, Week 1 happened.
After suffering the worst debut loss by a Lions head coach in team history, the local media is filled with reports of upset players and locker room strife.
The Lions need to get back on track, and they need to do so immediately. Patricia and Detroit’s offensive coordinator Jim Bob Cooter are on shaky ground; another game with 39 total rushing yards or five interceptions could mean significant changes for the Lions’ coaching staff.