DETROIT, MI – DECEMBER 29: Detroit Lions Head Football Coach Matt Patricia talks with his defense during the third quarter of the game against the Green Bay Packers at Ford Field on December 29, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Green Bay defeated Detroit 23-20. (Photo by Leon Halip/Getty Images)
Detroit Lions head coach Matt Patricia brings up New England Patriots Super Bowl winning interception when asked about the teams fourth-quarter woes.
Over the course of the last two seasons, the Detroit Lions have blown 17 fourth-quarter leads.
The 2020 season opener proved to be more of the same as the final 12 minutes kicked off the Lions were up 23-6 before ultimately losing to the Chicago Bears, 27-23.
Fans and reporters for the Lions have grown tiresome. In the offseason, head coach Matt Patricia and general manager Bob Quinn were retained by new owner Sheila Ford Hamp. Yet, patience could be thin.
“Fire Patricia” tweets typically don’t show up until midseason. However, following the 18th blown lead under Patricia, it was a Week 1 feature in Lions Twitter-land. Known for taking losses head-on during post game conference, Patricia seemed rather agitated today.
After the Lions loss on Sunday, the coach took to the podium for the postgame press conference.
“Is there something in your coaching that maybe isn’t happening for you to close out games?” Mike O’Hara asked of the coach. “Yeah, I don’t think so Mike. I think I’ve got one of the biggest plays in the fourth quarter in the history of the NFL where I think I did a pretty good job. So, I don’t think it’s that,” Patricia responded. What play is he referring to? Malcolm Butler intercepting Russell Wilson on the 1-yard line in Super Bowl XLIX.
You can hear Patricia respond to O’Hara at the 10:40 mark in the video below.
The Lions will head to Green Bay to battle the Packers at Lambeau Field. In order to not fall 0-2 in the NFC North, this becomes a must-win.