Green Bay Packers Five Downs: Offseason edition with the Side Lion Report

Dairyland Express: What will Matt Patricia bring to the table? The Belichick coaching pedigree hasn’t lived up to the Bill Parcells tree. Will Patricia change that?

Side Lion Report: In nuts and bolts, Matt Patricia is a defensive-minded coach (even though he’s coached both sides of the ball), much like his mentor, Bill Belichick. Patricia, an actual former rocket scientist, prefers a multiple front defense that matches up with opposing offenses and takes away their best options. He favors versatility in personnel and their skill sets. Patricia led defenses often bring pressure from other sources than the defensive line. The primary, or “base” defense is a nickel (five defensive backs), but he makes changes in alignments all game long.

Patricia has been an NFL coach since 2004 and spent an additional six years coaching at collegiate levels prior. The New England Patriots, where Patricia spent 14 years, won three Super Bowls while he was on staff. He has never been a head coach, so how he will fare in that role is really up for debate. Obviously, other Belichick coaches have not been very successful.

My main source of optimism as a Lions fan is his great relationship with current general manager, Bob Quinn. I hope for a Kyle Shanahan-John Lynch type of symbiosis. A lot seems to hinge on the general manager-head coach relationship. Of course, you have to win, too. In that way, I think having an established core of players, including quarterback Matthew Stafford, bodes well for Patricia’s immediate success, too.

Does that add up to championships? I honestly think it’s way too early to tell.