Ask any Lions fan about the state of the team after the team’s four point loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, and they probably would’ve said that despite the loss, this team looked ready to finally take that next step. The same could be said after the Lion’s one-point loss in Green Bay on a Monday night in which local and national media alike could agree the Lions got robbed.

Looking at where this team is now though, maybe we should have seen all along that the signs were there that the Lions were never going to be anything more than pretenders this year. Good teams make that key stop on 4th and eight to put the Chiefs away. Good teams don’t settle for five field goals in a game where they were in the red zone three times and only scored one touchdown the entire game.

Even with Matthew Stafford enjoying arguably his best season before missing three straight games (and counting) with broken bones in his back, the Lions hadn’t looked to be anything more than a team who could give the NFL’s best a run, but never finish. Now that he’s out, the true limitations of this team and coaching staff has been exposed, and that should be on GM Bob Quinn.

Matt Patricia, Quinn’s handpicked coach and former colleague from the New England Patriots, was brought on with a reputation as a defensive wizard. The reality is that the Lions are 25th in points against, 29th in yards, 30th in passing yards, the second worst team when it comes to interceptions with only four, and 27th in sacks with 23 on the year. After every game Patricia and the players speak on what they need to do to get better, but week after week they’re still making the same mistakes.

The offense, despite Stafford’s great year, also has holes, notably a run game that’s only average at best, although the injury to Kerryon Johnson hasn’t helped, and special teams for the lions has been terrible all season.

When Bob Quinn fired Jim Caldwell, he brought up how back to back 9-7 records were below the standards that he and The Ford family had for the team, and that it was ultimately on him. He wasn’t wrong. 9-7 isn’t good enough to be a contender, but to go so far in the other direction, with a coach he handpicked, and with a team that he has now had four years to build, there shouldn’t be any excuses for Bob Quinn. If this team’s performance truly is on him, then he should be the first one to answer for it when the season is over.

This is an example post, originally published as part of Blogging University. Enroll in one of our ten programs, and start your blog right.

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