The Detroit Lions finally put an end to the Matt Patricia era before the 2020 season even ended. A stark reminder of how badly they botched that hiring back in 2018. Now the organization is doing what it can to get back on the right track. They know they have to before they end up wasting what is left of Matthew Stafford’s prime at quarterback. Does this mean they’ll go with a QB specialist as they did with Jim Caldwell a few years back?
Apparently not. Initial rumors indicated that San Francisco 49ers defensive coordinator Robert Saleh would be the obvious target for them. Him being a Michigan native and all. However, it appears that isn’t where the wind is blowing. ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler had some interesting updates regarding the head coaching searches around the NFL.
Most were standard stuff but his one on the Lions. A bit of a bombshell.
Couple of coaching updates:
-Brian Daboll slated to meet with Chargers and Jets on Sunday.
-Urban Meyer has met in person with Jags. No movement yet but Jacksonville firmly in mix.
-Lions came away impressed by Marvin Lewis in his recent interview. He’s in play there.— Jeremy Fowler (@JFowlerESPN) January 9, 2021
Anybody who has watched NFL football for the past two decades should know the name Marvin Lewis. He was hired as the Cincinnati Bengals head coach in 2003 and held the job all the way through 2018. An impressive run in terms of length that a lot of head coaches never see. During that time he got the Bengals to the playoffs seven times. Certainly an accomplishment. That being said, there is one notable stink on his record.
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Lewis never won a playoff game. His teams became infamous for choking whenever they got to the postseason. Even when they were the favored team. It’s not liked they lacked talent. They had Pro Bowlers on offense and defense. They had good quarterbacks. It didn’t matter. He was 0-7 in playoff play and this is the guy Detroit is now seriously considering as their next head coach.
Detroit Lions can’t expect a Super Bowl with Lewis in charge
He coaches the game as you’d expect from a defensive specialist. He believes in clock control, limiting turnovers, and running the ball. He’s also highly conservative. Not the sort who tends to go for it in key situations, instead opting to punt and rely on the defense. If that weren’t enough? Lewis is 62-years old. Not exactly somebody who can establish a long-term relationship with the organization. Most head coaches don’t make it to their 70s in the NFL.
So if the Detroit Lions do this, they’ll be expecting Lewis to transform that team into a Super Bowl contender in relatively short order. A pretty bold move given the state of the roster. Stafford maybe accelerates that process but there is no telling how much longer he has given some of the injury problems he’s been dealing with in the past couple of years.
Translation? Chicago Bears fans shouldn’t feel threatened if this is the hire.
Lewis is a fine coach but he’s not somebody who should terrify people. He enjoyed a perfect setup in Cincinnati and still couldn’t get the job done. Just how is it going to be in Detroit with an organization known for its dysfunction? Maybe he pulls out a miracle but it feels unlikely.